THE two men allegedly at the centre of a ram raid where police fired shots at a getaway car in Werris Creek will stay behind bars until May.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Jacob Burns and Dylan James Stahn made no bid for bail in Gunnedah Local Court on Thursday, a day after police swooped on their homes in Wee Waa.
The pair are alleged to be behind the targeted hit on the Werris Creek Bowling and Tennis Club in the early hours of October 14, as well as a string of other offences in Bingara, Narrabri and Tuncurry dating back to 2018 and 2019.
The acting commander of the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, Grant Taylor, said the offences were brazen and involved "detailed planning".
READ ALSO:
"Absolutely, look there is a lot of detailed planning, a lot of destruction to local property and a lot of organisation gone about carrying out these acts," he said.
"No offenders of the community were harmed, however, there were threats made to a particular individual during one of these offences and that is encapsulated in the charges that these people have been charged with."
In a show of force, the Western Region Operational Support Group (OSG) police surrounded both Wee Waa homes and knocked down the doors at 7am, before both men were pulled outside in handcuffs.
The pair were charged at Narrabri police station and transported to the holding cells in Moree.
Stahn is facing six charges including aggravated break-and-enter in company; arson; stealing cars; and larceny. Burns has 11 charges in court including aggravated break-and-enter in company, entering a dwelling with intent; stealing cars; larceny and entering a dwelling with intent.
Both men were not required to enter pleas and magistrate Peter Thompson ordered they remain in custody until May, after police serve the brief of evidence.
Detective Acting Superintendent Taylor said the strike force is ongoing and there were more arrests to come.
"These are significant arrests for a small regional community," he said.
"These are coordinated and organised offences undertaken with some detailed planning.
"Offences such as this will see the resources of this squad deployed to identify and prosecute offenders involved in such crimes."
During the October ram raid in Werris Creek, a local policeman was forced to fire shots at a getaway car the men were alleged to have been in, after it rammed the officer in Henry Street about 2.30am.
Police had been called after the hit on the club, and spotted the stolen Holden Rodeo ute before it turned on him.
The offenders fled and the ute was dumped on The Gap Road. Back-up was called and police scoured the area.
Strike Force Ousley was setup in the wake of the violent ram raid, with the state's Robbery and Serious Crime Squad deployed from Sydney to back-up Oxley detectives.
As part of investigations into the targeted hit, detectives homed in on links to several other offences across the North West including the attempted theft of an ATM from a bank in Bingara on July 29 in 2018; stolen cars from a business within Narrabri on November 18, last year; and a break-in at a club on Golf Club Road at Wee Waa at about dawn on January 21. Police said during that incident, cash and alcohol were stolen.
During the raids, officers seized clothing, a Hyundai Accent and Holden Commodore, and other items they claim are connected to the investigation.
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
