Warringah Mall, Brookvale: Four charged after alleged night time break-in
A group allegedly broke into a part of a massive Sydney shopping mall — but came up empty-handed. See what happened in court.
Manly
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Three people allegedly broke into a section of a massive Sydney shopping mall — and found nothing to steal.
The group of hapless alleged burglars, which included two women, were nabbed by Northern Beaches Police soon after they managed to get inside a storeroom at Westfield’s Warringah mall on Wednesday night.
But there was nothing of value inside the storage area on the Brookvale mall’s rooftop car park, Manly Local Court was told on Thursday.
And the whole alleged incident was captured on security video cameras.
A fouth person was charged with breaching bail
One of the alleged members of the group, Jyah James Divall, 22, of Eastlakes, was even wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet because he was out of jail on parole on separate offences, the court heard.
Mr Divall has been charged with one count of aggravated break-in, in company, with intent to steal.
He was refused bail by Magistrate Robyn Denes.
Two of Mr Divall’s alleged accomplices, Helen Tago, 31, of Belmore, also charged with the same offence, was also unsuccessful in her bail application.
Another woman Chantelle Lee-Marie Haines, 41, of Alexandria, who faced the same charge, was granted bail.
Documents tendered to court alleged that the trio broke into the storeroom at Warringah mall between 7pm and 7.09pm on Wednesday.
Police alleged, in a statement released on Thursday afternoon, that Mall security staff told officers that a number of people had arrived at the car park area in a white hatchback before they allegedly forced entry into a storage room.
Officers arrested Ms Tago and Ms Haines in the car park.
Soon after they arrested Mr Divall, who the court was told does volunteer work at the Tony Mundine boxing gym at Redfern, on nearby Old Pittwater Rd.
Police then located the hatchback in the parking area and attempted to stop it leaving the Mall, but it allegedly failed to stop.
A short time later, according to the police statement, the car was stopped by officers on Condamine Street, Brookvale, before they arrested a 38-year-old woman and a 27-year-old woman who were in the car.
The 38-year-old woman was charged with breach of bail. She is due to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on March 14.
The 27-year-old woman was released without charge.
During applications for bail in Manly court on Wednesday, a Legal Aid solicitor acting for Mr Divall, Ms Tago and Ms Haines, said the alleged break and enter was “clearly not sophisticated and organised”.
“There was a whole shopping centre in front of you and (they go) into an empty storeroom.” The solicitor said all three of the accused had drug use issues.
The three accused have yet to enter pleas.
They will be back in Manly court on March 13 for plea or mention.
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