By Perry Duffin
It began with bullets ripping through a home, then stolen cars began crashing into garage doors and going up in flames. Now anti-gang police are crawling over a Sydney suburban street trying to stop the “targeted attacks” on a man allegedly linked to organised crime.
Emergency services were called to Briggs Place in St Helens Park, near Campbelltown, at 7.15pm on May 1 after someone unloaded a gun into a home.
Two homes on Briggs Place, St Helens Park, have been targeted by arson attacks and a shooting since May 1.Credit: James Brickwood
Five of the six shots struck a four-wheel drive parked outside the house and the last went through a window. The three people inside were not injured.
Police concluded a 28-year-old man inside the home, an alleged member of a Sydney outlaw motorcycle gang (OMCG), was the intended target, Detective acting Superintendent Glyn Baker told reporters on Monday.
A dark Audi sedan was seen speeding from the scene, police were told.
Five days later, emergency services were called back to Briggs Place after an SUV smashed into the garage roller door of the house next door and burst into flames.
One of the houses goes up in flames.Credit: Nine News
The owner, a 71-year-old woman, raced from the home in shock. Paramedics treated her for smoke inhalation.
“She has made a full recovery since,” Baker said. “It is believed that the incident was also targeted, but we are yet to establish if it was a case of mistaken identity for the house next door.”
The torched Porsche had been stolen from the wealthy enclave of Palm Beach on the city’s northern fringe.
Witnesses told police they saw two men flee in a waiting white Toyota Corolla, stolen from Campsie. It was later found burnt out with “cloned” plates to disguise its origin.
Police suspect the three attacks on Briggs Place are “linked” and “targeted”.Credit: Nine News
Investigators called in the criminal groups squad, the specialised anti-gang police, after two attacks in such proximity.
But those targeting Briggs Place were not done. Just before 2am on Monday, flames were again raging in the quiet street.
Campbelltown police found another car alight, this time a Mazda in the driveway of the home of the alleged bikie. Firefighters quickly put it out.
Police are yet to figure out if it was stolen, and two men were seen running from the scene. Police are treating the three attacks as linked.
The 28-year-old alleged bikie and suspected target of the attacks, who lives on Briggs Place with his parents, is co-operating with police.
Investigators want him to help them determine the motive for the attacks as “none is clear at this stage”, Baker said.
The family at the centre of the attacks are not being moved from the home, Baker said, but police are talking to them about “risk” and “concerns”.
The streets around St Helens Park are now host to increased police patrols but also Raptor, the NSW Police anti-gang squad, as detectives hoover up CCTV footage and clues.
Baker said it was not just for the protection of the alleged gang member and his family, but for the residents on Briggs Place.
“This is totally unacceptable; these three attacks have clearly been directly targeted, whether they got the wrong house on the second incident, but clearly that family has been targeted,” he said.
“We are taking this very seriously, we are deploying all available police resources we can to ensure the safety of the victim and the community at large there in St Helens Park.”
Police said that, with the attacks, Sydney’s bikie gangs had “put a spotlight” on themselves.
“As a result, police resources are now being deployed into you,” Baker said.
“The message is very clear from the police – stop the violence there.”
Baker called for anyone with information, dashcam footage or CCTV that could help them investigate the shooting, the two arson attacks or any of the cars involved to contact Campbelltown police or Crime Stoppers.
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