Riverina Police District warning after alleged armed robbery, vehicle thefts

It been a busy week for police after several people were arrested following separate incidents in the Riverina. Find out what happened.

The Riverina Police District Crime Manager has spoken out after several people were arrested following separate incidents in the region.

Detective Chief Inspector Winston Woodward urged residents and businesses to be on the lookout after an alleged armed robbery on Tuesday and a spate of break and enters in recent weeks.

Police were called to a service station on the corner of the Olympic Highway and Hurley Street, Cootamundra, around 7.40am on Tuesday, following reports an employee was allegedly threatened with a knife by a man wearing a black balaclava.

The employee was not physically injured in the incident, in which the man allegedly stole cash and cigarettes before fleeing in a white utility.

Inspector Woodward said highway patrol had seen the vehicle around Cootamundra and as a result were able to trace it to a residence.

On arrival at the house, where the vehicle was parked, they arrested a 26-year-old man and escorted him to Cootamundra Police Station.

The man was subsequently charged over the alleged armed robbery, and was also charged with traffic offences.

He was refused bail, and is due to face Wagga Local Court on Wednesday.

Inspector Woodward praised police for their work.

“It is really good community policing and the people from Cootamundra should be pleased by their work,” he said.

Meantime, in a separate incident, four youths were arrested and charged on Tuesday following a spate of alleged property offences in the Wagga Wagga area.

Police located the boys - aged between 14 and 16 - at a Wagga residence where they conducted a search warrant and allegedly retrieved multiple stolen motor vehicles.

The boys have been charged with 18 offences between them.

Their arrests form part of Strike Force Olwen which was established at the start of 2022 in a chance to halt property theft in the Riverina.

The Cootamundra service station that was targeted in the armed robbery. Picture: Patrick Morrow

“In July, Wagga suffered a spate of break and enters and following inquiries from the strike force team we were able to track and monitor the four young people,” Detective Woodward said.

“After our inquiries, search warrants were executed at a premises and the results of this were recovering a number of items including motorbikes and fraudulent material.”

Detective Woodward reminded residents to lock their cars and look after their valuables in light of the recent thefts.

“We urge the public to lock your car doors, garage doors, front doors and gates as there are people out who are wandering the streets at night looking for an opportunity to rob people,” he said.