A man has been charged with over 20 property and traffic related offences in the Illawarra.
About 4am on Friday 20 February 2026, police were called to Muirfield Avenue, Shell Cove following reports of a motor vehicle theft.
Officers attached to Lake Illawarra Police District responded and commenced an investigation.
CCTV was seized from the scene.
About 6.25am the same day, emergency services responded to reports of a car fire in Andrew Park, on Johnston street, Warilla.
Fire and Rescue NSW responded and extinguished the fire, the car was destroyed.
Following extensive inquiries, about 4.10pm yesterday (Thursday 5 March 2026), officers attached to Lake Illawarra Police District attended a home in Nannawilli Street, Berkeley.
Following a short foot pursuit, a 23-year-old man was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station.
He was charged with 26 offences including six counts of dishonestly obtain property by deception and two counts of take and drive conveyance without consent of owner.
He was refused bail to appear in Bail Division Court 3 today ( Friday 6 March 2026), where he was formally refused bail to appear in Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday 18 March 2026.
Police will allege in court the man stole three vehicles within the Lake Illawarra PD which were used in a number of fail to pay incidents at service stations in Shellharbour, Barrack Heights and Lake Illawarra. Police will further allege those vehicles were used in an aggravated break enter and steal at a unit complex on Waterfront Promenade, Shell Cove and a police pursuit in Lake Illawarra and Warilla which was terminated due to safety concerns.
