Three men have faced court today charged with an alleged aggravated break-in in Narromine and the theft of a vehicle in Dubbo yesterday morning.

In September 2021, officers attached to the Orana Mid-Western Criminal Investigation team established Strike Force Coped to investigate a number of aggravated robberies and stolen motor vehicles throughout the Western Region.

At about 2.30am yesterday (Tuesday 12 October), a Holden Colorado utility was allegedly stolen from a home on Linda Drive, Dubbo.

Later that same day at 9am, a 39-year-old man, returned home to his property on Backwater Road, Narromine, disturbing three men who were ransacking the home.

One of the men produced a rifle and threatened the owner, demanding money before he was forced into the home at gunpoint.

The owner fled to a nearby bedroom and the firearm was discharged into the room through the door before the three men fled in the stolen utility. The owner was uninjured.

Police were notified and later located the vehicle on Backwater Road heading towards Narromine. They initiated a pursuit before it was terminated due to safety concerns.

Police engaged in a second pursuit after locating the vehicle again just after 10am, on Industrial Access Road, Warren, that was also terminated shortly after.

At about 11am, the vehicle was abandoned on Sixth Avenue, Narromine and, following a short foot pursuit through a golf course, two men – aged 23 and 20 – were arrested.

A third man, also aged 20, was then arrested on a nearby property, near the Mitchell Highway, and all three were taken to Dubbo Police Station.

The 23-year-old and first 20-year-old were charged with aggravated break and enter dwelling in company steal, possess loaded firearm public place, robbery while armed with dangerous weapon, fire firearm manner likely injure persons/property, special aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence-weapon and be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner.

The third man was charged with the below offences and was also believed to have been involved in a previous theft of a vehicle and cash on Saturday 9 October.

• Take and drive conveyance without consent of owner

• Drive motor vehicle during disqualification period
• Aggravated break and enter dwelling in company steal

• Larceny value <$2000

• Robbery armed with offensive weapon

• Five counts of Take and drive conveyance without consent of owner

• Three counts of Police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously

• Seven counts of Drive motor vehicle during disqualification period

• Two counts of Aggravated break and enter dwelling in company steal

• Three counts of Aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence-people there

• Possess loaded firearm public place

• Robbery while armed with dangerous weapon

• Fire firearm manner likely injure persons/property

• Special aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence-weapon

All three men were refused bail to appear at Dubbo Local Court today (Wednesday 13 October 2021).