Four arrests but police looking for more over smash-and-grab crime spree

Four teenage boys of African appearance have been charged over a smash-and-grab crime spree targeting tech stores between Sydney and Newcastle this year — but police allege they are just a part of a gang of about 20.

• African teens arrested over alleged thefts

Police allege a group of 20 young males of African­ ­appearance were at the centre of a smash-and-grab crime spree targeting tech stores between Sydney and Newcastle.

Strike Force Arpen officers raided three northwest Sydney homes on Wednesday, charging four males aged 16 and 17 over a series of robberies ­between March and June.

Police seized several items, including knives and a credit card.

A senior police source told The Daily Telegraph the youths were allegedly among a group of about 20 males of African­ appearance­ committed to the well-planned robberies, largely on JB Hi-Fi stores.

It takes to 12 the number of arrests over such thefts, and the senior officer yesterday said: “We think there are still a few young males we want to talk to that are involved in some of the robberies.”

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Two of the teens applied for bail in Parramatta Children’s Court but were both denied by Magistrate Tracey Sheedy.

One of the 17-year-olds, who pleaded not guilty to nine charges, shook his head as Ms Sheedy refused bail despite his lawyer saying he was in his last year of school and on the cusp of a professional sports career.

The solicitor also argued that “identity will certainly be an issue given he is of an African appearance, and the other people alleged to have committed this offence are also of African appearance”.

Police also seized a Holden Accord which they allege was bought with proceeds of crime.

In denying bail, Ms Sheedy said: “This young person has been involved, it is alleged, in a well-planned, orchestrated series­ of offences which have put staff and customers at some risk. He has some access to weapons.”

Denying bail for another boy, aged 16, Ms Sheedy said his phone had “pinged” in the area of the alleged robberies.

“It doesn’t seem that his parents have been able to effectively control his behaviour,” she said. The police prosecutor said the boy allegedly amassed just more than $104,000 worth of stolen goods.

One of the four youths pleaded guilty on Wednesday.

According to court documents in his case, the group would meet first to discuss the role played by each member.

According to the court documents, he played roles of “lookout”, “distraction” and “physical stealing”.

One robbery­ was an 18-second­ raid on JB Hi-Fi at Castle Towers on June 8 in which nine youths took 11 devices. Detective Superintendent David Waddell alleged the teens would “swarm in, grab whatever devices they could … and then rush out”.

The boy who pleaded guilty will be sentenced on July 30, while the other three will face court again in August.

Originally published as Four arrests but police looking for more over smash-and-grab crime spree