Muswellbrook: Strike Force Sanderston detectives arrest third man over New England Highway assault and kidnapping

Detectives investigating the alleged pre-dawn kidnapping and bashing of a man on a Hunter Valley highway have made a third arrest.

Footage released by Strike Force Sanderston detectives as they investigated two incidents in Muswellbrook in March. Picture: NSW Police.

Detectives investigating the alleged kidnapping and bashing of a man in the Hunter Valley have made a third arrest.

Strike Force Sanderston was established to investigate several incidents in the early morning of March 21 – firstly when a 25-year-old man was forced to stop his vehicle outside Muswellbrook and kidnapped and then when a second man was threatened in the town.

Detectives allege the kidnap victim was pulled from his car after being forced to stop on the New England Highway about 4am by a group of five men in a silver Subaru Impreza.

He was bashed and bundled into the Subaru before being driven to Tindale St in Muswellbrook, where police allege the Subaru remained before travelling to nearby Denman.

The alleged kidnapping victim was found at Muswellbrook railway station with facial injuries before he was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital.

Strike Force Sanderston detectives released footage as they investigate the alleged kidnapping of one man and the threatening of a second at Muswellbrook on March 21, 2025. Picture: NSW Police.

He has since been released.

Police allege a second incident on Tindale St, where a man was stopped in his vehicle before it was rammed several times, was linked to the kidnapping.

The third man, 38, will face Muswellbrook Local Court on Tuesday. Picture: Google Maps.

Strike Force Sanderston detectives released images of the incidents on Tindale St on May 1.

Last week, they raided the properties in Scone and Muswellbrook and allegedly seized a replica firearm, electronics, illegal tobacco products, prohibited drugs, and other suspected stolen property during the raids.

Brett Leonard Robertson, 34, and Angus Wilfred Higgins, 21, were taken into custody and later charged.

Robertson was charged with nine offences including taking a person in company with intent to commit serious indictable, supplying a prohibited drug (greater than indictable less than commercial quantity), goods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle), goods suspected stolen in/on premises (motor vehicle), contravening a prohibition/restriction in AVO (Domestic), disposing of property in a serious indictable offence (greater than $5000), possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of predatory driving.

Higgins was charged with taking a person in company with intent to commit serious indictable, and using an offensive weapon with intent to commit indictable offence.

They both remain in custody on remand and have not been required to enter any pleas.

On Monday, detectives arrested a 38-year-old man at Muswellbrook.

He was taken to Muswellbrook police station where he was charged with taking a person in company with intent to commit a serious indictable offence, stalking/intimidating – intending fear physical etc harm (personal), and sexually touch another person without consent.

He was refused bail to appear before Muswellbrook Local Court on Tuesday.

Strike Force Sanderston investigations continue.