13 January 2020

Three charged over looting of fire-ravaged Batemans Bay store

| Dominic Giannini
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Recovered items

Three people have been charged after a fire-ravaged business in Batemans Bay was looted twice on Wednesday (8 January). Photo: NSW Police.

Three people have been charged with looting on the South Coast after officers raided a Narooma house and found goods alleged to have been stolen during the recent bushfires.

A 38-year-old man was arrested at a home in Tilba Tilba and a 31-year-old woman was arrested in Narooma and both were taken to Batemans Bay Police Station on Friday evening (10 January).

NSW Police located and seized a number of electrical items believed to have been stolen during recent bushfires from a fire-damaged business in Batemans Bay. Police allege it was broken into twice on 8 January and a number of electronic items were taken.

The man has been charged with two counts of entering a building/land with intent to commit an indictable offence, two counts of larceny, disposing of property and possessing prohibited drugs.

The woman has been charged with two counts of entering a building/land with intent to commit an indictable offence, two counts of larceny and two counts of disposing of property.

Three people have been charged after a fire-ravaged business in Batemans Bay was looted twice on Wednesday (8 January). Photo: NSW Police.

A third man was apprehended yesterday (12 January) after Police stopped a car in Batemans Bay and searched the vehicle. Officers located and seized mobile phones, which Police allege had been stolen from the Batemans Bay shop on Wednesday (8 January). The 26-year-old passenger was subsequently arrested.

He was charged with receiving stolen and was refused bail on Sunday at the Batemans Bay Local Court.

Police say investigations are continuing.

The NSW Police Force is providing a high-visibility presence to deter criminal activity throughout the current bushfire emergency and assist other emergency services to ensure bushfire-affected areas are safe for the community to return as quickly as possible.

Anyone with information about unsafe or unlawful behaviour in the bushfire-affected region is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or NSW Crime Stoppers.

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