Police investigating murder of Coffs Harbour surfer Kye Shaefer, 21, charge homeless man with unrelated robbery, larceny charges
A homeless man living in a tent is alleged to have robbed a man while wielding a metal star picket at the same time and just a few hundred metres from where Coffs Harbour surfer Kye Schaefer was found dying of stab wounds.
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Police investigating the murder of surfer Kye Shaefer have charged a homeless man with the armed robbery of a random motorist at the same time and just a few hundred metres away from where the much-loved young man was found dying from multiple stab wounds.
Court documents state the arrested man is alleged to have threatened a man with a metal star picket at a carpark near Coffs Jetty – where the accused and the alleged victim were both sleeping rough – before robbing him of fishing gear and beer about 6.40am last Thursday.
The alleged robbery near the jetty occurred at the same time two women discovered 21-year-old Kye lying next to his distinctive orange car with multiple stab wounds to his torso and neck just a few hundreds metres from Park Beach.
It remains unclear how long Kye, who had gone for a surf before returning to the Coffs Harbour Surf Life Saving Club carpark, had been lying injured before he was discovered.
The popular young surfer would later succumb to his injuries in hospital.
No one has been arrested or charged over Kye’s murder and the rough sleeper is not accused of any involvement in the death.
He was arrested later that afternoon on May 2 after allegedly stealing an expensive e-bike from a store in the nearby Park Beach shopping centre.
The man appeared in Coffs Harbour Local Court the next morning charged with robbery while armed with an offensive weapon and larceny.
According to court documents, the 36-year-old was homeless and had been sleeping in a tent at the Coffs Harbour Jetty area when he allegedly used a star picket to steal a fishing rod and reel and two six-packs of beer from a man.
Then, between 4.53pm and 4.56pm on the same day, he is alleged to have stolen a $4000 Cube e-bike from Ventoux Cycles.
He was arrested about 5pm and later charged by detectives from Strike Force Kooringaroo, set up earlier that day to investigate the murder of Kye Shaefer.
The man has not been required to enter any pleas in relation to the robbery and larceny charges and did not apply for release when he faced court on Friday.
Bail was formally refused and the man was remanded in custody to reappear in Coffs Harbour Local Court on June 25.
News of the charges came as the state’s homicide squad took over Strike Force Kooringaroo and called for public assistance in identifying a bike rider seen in the vicinity of the Ocean St carpark at the time of the murder.
It included a plea for any witnesses or dashcam footage.
Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Originally published as Police investigating murder of Coffs Harbour surfer Kye Shaefer, 21, charge homeless man with unrelated robbery, larceny charges
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