Three men will face court today charged after allegedly robbing three men who they had arranged online to meet in south-west Sydney overnight.
It will be alleged in court that the trio arranged to meet with three different men after communicating with them via a social media application throughout the evening yesterday (Tuesday 14 June 2022).
Police were told a 53-year-old man made arrangements to meet a man at a home at Punchbowl about 5.40pm. A short time later, two men arrived and allegedly threatened him with a knife, demanding his debit card.
The two men stole his card and got into a Honda Accord, which was being driven by a third man. It's alleged cash was subsequently withdrawn at a nearby service station.
About 8.30pm, a 30-year-old man attended a carpark on the corner of the Boulevarde and Quigg Street, Lakemba, to meet a man he had met online.
He entered a Honda Accord and was allegedly threatened by three men with a knife and driven from the carpark. It's alleged he was forced to transfer money into a bank account while being driven around.
When the men returned him to the carpark, he was directed to return to his own vehicle with one of the men searching his car before they drove off.
The two incidents were reported to police, with officers attached to Campsie Police Area Command commencing immediate inquiries.
The car of the 30-year-old man was seized by police for forensic examination.
As part of proactive patrols, police stopped the Honda on York Street, Belmore, about 10.50pm and spoke with four men – aged 19, 20, 21 and 29.
Inquiries revealed the 29-year-old man had made arrangements online to meet a man at a carpark on Tobruk Avenue, Belmore about 9.20pm, when three men got into his car and threatened him with a knife, demanding his mobile phone.
The man was then directed to exit his vehicle and enter the Honda, which was parked nearby, before he was driven to ATMs at Belmore and Canterbury and allegedly forced to withdraw cash.
During a subsequent search of the Honda, police seized cash, knives and mobile phones.
The three younger men were arrested and taken to Campsie Police Station, where they were each charged with three counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of take/detain person with intent to obtain advantage and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.
They were refused bail to appear at Blacktown Local Court today (Wednesday 15 June 2022).
The 53, 30 and 29-year-old men were not injured in the three separate incidents.
