Nepean Pizza: Matthew Ploeg resisted police during rooftop standoff
A man who refused to get down of of the roof of a popular western Sydney pizza place after breaking in had to be tackled by the riot squad.
Penrith
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A Cranebrook man has faced court after being found with two knives just weeks after a rooftop standoff with police on Penrith’s High Street.
Matthew Ploeg, 26, broke into the Nepean Pizza, Kebabs and Charcoal store on High St at about 7.30pm on June 21.
According to court documents, he entered the building through the back door while holding a black crowbar before walking upstairs and breaking a window and a door.
He then locked himself in the upstairs bathroom and left the building via a window before climbing onto the roof using a drainpipe.
When police arrived, they found Ploeg hiding behind a pillar on the roof and attempted to negotiate with him for about an hour while he walked across the rooftop.
At one stage, police attempted to give him a cigarette to calm him down, but he proceeded to throw the crowbar and a mobile phone onto the road.
Police from the Public Order and Riot Squad were required to tackle Ploeg during a short pursuit on foot, and he was brought to ground level and arrested.
Ploeg was granted bail by police after the incident with a condition that he not enter the Penrith CBD.
Less than three weeks later, police found Ploeg sitting in a blue Subaru on Castlereagh St. He attempted to run from police, but was quickly arrested.
Ploeg told police he was in breach of his bail, and police found a large machete and a large silver knife sheaf during a search of his car.
He pleaded guilty to being in a house to destroy property and breaking out, destroy or damage property, resist officer in execution of duty, possessing housebreaking implements and having custody of a knife in a public place before Magistrate Hiatt in Penrith Local Court on Tuesday.
During his brief appearance, Ploeg requested that his matters go to the Parramatta Drug Court.
He will next appear in court on August 13.