In Sydney’s northwest, a man with a knife and hammer is fugitive after robbing three women who were out on their own.
Early this morning, police received several complaints of robberies and assaults in the Northmead and North Rocks region.
This prompted a manhunt and resulted in the lockdown of a nearby school.
Despite a thorough search involving a helicopter, specialised police, and the dog unit, the culprit has not been located.
Superintendent Barry Vincent of NSW Police stated at a press conference this afternoon that the attacks started when a white Mitsubishi Outlander SUV was reported stolen at approximately five in the morning from a shop on Windsor Road in North Rocks.
Soon after, police got a second report stating that a man had approached a solitary 47-year-old lady on Mons Road in Northmead from behind.
“After a short wrestle, her personal items including a bag were taken from her,” Vincent claimed.
The criminal then got into an SUV, which is thought to be the identical vehicle that was reported stolen from North Rocks, and drove off.
As police were responding, they were alerted to Junia Avenue in Toongabbie, where a man fitting the description of the victim’s description had approached the 19-year-old woman from behind.
“It’s alleged he produced a knife and a number of personal items were stolen from this woman as well,” Vincent stated.
Not too long afterward, on North Rocks Road in North Parramatta, a 27-year-old lady was similarly approached from behind and threatened with a hammer for her belongings.
Vincent claimed that guys who knew the woman tracked her pilfered phone to North Rocks Road, where they confronted the perpetrator, who then assaulted them and used a hammer to smash their car window before leaving the scene once more.
“We were unable to locate the offender,” he stated. “A number of items, including the motor vehicle used during the offence, have been located and seized for forensic examination.”
According to Vincent, the nature of the alleged offence was a “deep concern” for the cops even if none of the women had suffered any serious injuries.
“I would describe this as particularly cowardly, just targeting women walking alone in the early hours from behind,” he stated.
A masked individual who, according to Vincent, fit the description of the perpetrator approached a home’s front door shortly before 4 a.m. today, according to CCTV that was obtained by that.
“Police are also investigating if the same man is responsible for break-ins committed on several homes in the same area two days earlier,” according to authorities.
The male is described as being in his 20s, with a medium build, and dressed in dark colours.
Police ask the public to stay away from the man and to contact triple zero right away if they spot him.
