Lake Macquarie ram raids: Woman charged after police investigation
Police allege a woman drove a stolen Audi Q5 following a robbery at a Cessnock home, where an 83-year-old man was assaulted. The 20-year-old was arrested in July.
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A woman has been charged after police uncovered information during an investigation into ram raids on two petrol stations in Lake Macquarie earlier this year.
The 20-year-old was arrested at Cessnock Police Station on July 8.
Police allege she drove a stolen Audi Q5 following a robbery at a Cessnock home, where an 83-year-old man was assaulted. The Audi was later found torched at Bellbird Heights.
The woman was charged with steal motor vehicle, aggravated robbery, drive whilst disqualified and destroy property in company use fire.
She was granted strict conditional bail to reappear at Cessnock Local Court on Wednesday.
Strike Force Emirs was established by the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad to investigate the ram raids in March this year.
In the early hours of March 3, cars were used to force entry into petrol stations in Wyee and Fennell Bay, where cash and cigarettes were stolen.
Attempts were also made to remove an ATM, but they were unsuccessful.
Last month, strike force detectives arrested and charged three men – aged 18, 23 and 25 – who remain before the courts.
Investigations continue.