A man will face court charged with firearm and property-related offences in the state's Central West.
Just after midday today (Monday 2 June 2025), officers from Central West Police District were called to a rural property at Paytens Bridge, following reports of a man allegedly trespassing at the property.
Police were told that a farm worker went to a machinery shed on the property to investigate a small fire. When he went inside the shed, he saw a man in the shed he did not know.
The farm worker noticed a rifle nearby on a wooden rack and contacted police.
Police from Forbes, Parkes and the Central West Rural Crime Prevention Team attended and arrested the man.
During a search of the shed and surrounding area, police allegedly located two motor vehicles that were not associated with the property.
A Toyota Hilux utility was identified as being allegedly stolen from a break, enter and steal offence at Garema about Thursday 29 May 2025, along with a quantity of power tools. Police also located a quantity of .22 calibre ammunition inside the utility.
During a search of a second vehicle, a Holden Commodore utility, police found a car fridge which was allegedly stolen from a neighbouring property.
Police also located four firearms in a nearby silo, a heavy-duty trailer and an Ag motorcycle, which police believe to be stolen or otherwise unlawfully obtained.
He was taken to Parkes Police Station where he was charged with thirteen offences - enter building/land with intent to commit an indictable offence, possess unauthorised firearm (five counts), possess more than three unregistered firearms without a licence, goods in custody (three counts) and possess ammunition without a permit, possess prohibited drug (two counts).
He was refused bail to appear at Orange Local Court tomorrow (Tuesday 2 June 2025)
