A 37-year-old man has been charged with a range of property and firearm offences after allegedly breaking into houses and stealing property during the South Coast bushfires earlier this year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In the first week of January, police received reports of alleged breaking and entering and theft in the Malua Bay area while residents were evacuated.
The South Coast Police District began an investigation.
A police spokesperson said officers from the South Coast Proactive Crime Team executed a search warrant at a property in Mogo about 8am on Thursday, March 26.
Police said officers allegedly seized a replica assault rifle (gel blaster), gel blaster ammunition, cannabis, a taser shaped as a baton, electronic goods and homemade mace.
The man was arrested and taken to Batemans Bay Police Station, where he was charged with the following:
- breaking, entering and stealing
- two counts of taking and driving a conveyance without the consent of the owner
- receiving stolen property
- two counts of having goods in custody suspected of being stolen
- two counts of driving a vehicle whilst unlicensed
- acquiring a firearm which was subject to a prohibition order
- acquiring ammunition subject to a prohibition order
- using a prohibited weapon contrary to a prohibition order
The man was refused bail and was due to face Batemans Bay Local Court on Friday, March 27.
On the same day of the arrest, police executed a second search warrant at a property in Mogo.
The spokesperson said cannabis was allegedly located and seized.
"A 52-year-old man will be issued a future court attendance notice in relation to possession of prohibited drug and will face court at a later date," the spokesperson said.