Police will prepare a report for the Coroner following a fatal crash in the State’s south-west.

Emergency services were called to Urana, west of Wagga Wagga, just before 6am today (Sunday 7 August 2016) after a motorist located a Toyota Landcruiser which had crashed.

The incident occurred on Federation Way near Spraydons Road.

A 21-year-old man from Victoria was located deceased inside the vehicle.

Inquiries into the cause of the crash are continuing and anyone with information to assist police is urged to come forward.

A man and woman have been charged over a number of alleged break and enters in the Lake Macquarie area, following a search warrant at Gateshead today.

Between 11 June 2016 and 5 August 2016, a number of alleged break and enters occurred in the Taree, Singleton, and East Lake Macquaire areas.

Following ongoing investigations, about 8am today (Friday 5 August 2016), officers attached to Lake Macquarie Local Area Command executed a search warrant at a home on Cadaga Road, Gateshead, where property, alleged to have been stolen, was seized for forensic examination.

An 18-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman were arrested at the location and taken to Belmont Police Station.

The man was charged with three counts of aggravated break and enter with intent to commit serious indictable offence; seven counts of break, enter and steal; two counts of enter building with intent to commit indictable offence; carried in conveyance; and a revocation of parole warrant was served on the man.

He was refused bail and will appear at Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Saturday 6 August 2016).

The woman was charged with six counts of fraud, receiving stolen property, and breach of bail.

She appeared at Toronto Local Court today and was refused bail, to reappear at Newcastle Local Court on 22 September 2016.

A man will appear in court today after being charged with firearm and illicit drug offences, following a vehicle stop in the Lake Macquarie Local Area Command yesterday.

About 10pm (Thursday 4 August 2016), police were patrolling the Charlestown area when they stopped a silver Mitsubishi Lancer on the Newcastle Inner City Bypass at Mount Hutton.

Police will allege the male driver provided a false name, and a subsequent search of the man and the vehicle resulted in cannabis and a replica pistol being located.

The 29-year-old was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station, where he was charged with breach of bail, possess prohibited drug, possess unregistered unauthorised firearm in public place, and not keep firearm safely – prohibited firearm.

The man was refused bail, to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Friday 5 August 2016).

Police from Lake Macquarie Local Area Command are appealing for information, as part of Missing Persons Week, to help find a man who went missing from his Toronto home 25 years ago.

Wayne Eastley, now aged 51, left his parents home on Milford Street, Toronto, about 10am on Wednesday 30 January 1991.

He made one withdrawal from his bank account on Thursday 31 January 1991.

Family and friends have not seen or heard from him since.

Police have been investigating the possibility Mr Eastley could be using an alias of Wayne McKay; however, inquiries have so far failed to locate him.

He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 170cm tall, of a medium build, with brown hair and green/hazel eyes. He also has as a tattoo on his forearm.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Mr Eastley is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://www1.police.nsw.gov.au/.

Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Missing Persons Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of the issues and impacts surrounding missing persons and runs between Sunday 31 July and Saturday 6 August 2016.

The theme of this year’s campaign is urging people to ‘Stay Connected’ and to remember that ‘Missing Persons Leave Frayed Edges.’

The campaign aims to remind members of the public of the importance of staying connected with family and friends and to ultimately enhance personal and communal support networks that assist those most at risk of going missing.

NSW Police Force would like to thank the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) for their assistance with Missing Persons Week 2016, donating advertising sites worth almost $235,000 across NSW.

Police are appealing for information after a girl was approached at Kurri Kurri yesterday.

About 1.50pm (Tuesday 2 August 2016), a 16-year-old girl was walking along Greta Street when she noticed she was being followed by a car.

Police were told the vehicle – a gold or silver coloured “EF” model Ford Falcon with yellow and black number plates – came alongside her.

Five males in the car, described as wearing hooded jumpers, called out to her in an intimidating manner.

The girl called out to a witness walking ahead of her who came to her assistance, before the car drove off.

Police from Central Hunter Local Area Command were notified of the incident and patrolled for the men and the car without success.

They are now appealing for anyone with information about the incident to come forward and contact Cessnock Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Meanwhile, the incident has again prompted police to encourage parents to discuss the ‘Safe People, Safe Places’ messages with their children, including;

– Make sure your parents or another adult you know knows where you are at all times.

– Always walk straight home or to the place you are walking to. Walk near busier roads and streets, or use paths where there are lots of other people.

– Know where safe places are – a shop, service station, police station, library or school. If you are ever frightened, you should go to one of these places and ask them to call the police.

– Learn about safe adults you can look for and talk to if you need help – police officers, teachers at school, adults you know and trust.

– Don’t talk to people you don’t know and never get into a car with someone you don’t know. If a car stops on the side of the road and you don’t know the person inside, do not stop.

– If you are scared and can use a phone, call 000 and tell them you are scared.

– If someone tries to grab you, yell out, ‘Go away, I don’t know you’. This lets other people know you have been approached by someone you don’t know.

A man has been charged after police uncovered a hydroponic cannabis house in Lake Macquarie yesterday.

About 10:15am (Tuesday 2 August 2016), officers from Lake Macquarie Local Area Command attended a home on Macquarie Street, Fennel Bay, following reports of a domestic incident.

Inside, police allegedly located cannabis plants and identified a hydroponic set up in a room.

The occupants returned and a 34-year-old man was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station.

A crime scene was declared and six cannabis plants, approximately 2.5 kilograms of cannabis, and hydroponic equipment was seized by police. All items will undergo forensic examination.

The man was charged with supply cannabis, cultivate prohibited plant, and possess prohibited drug.

He was granted conditional bail to appear at Toronto Local Court on Tuesday 23 August 2016.

A woman has been arrested and charged after a man was stabbed during a domestic incident in the Lake Macquarie area last night.

Police were told a man and woman had been arguing at their Warners Bay home throughout Monday night (1 August 2016), when the woman allegedly armed herself with a knife about 9.30pm.

The man grabbed the knife, suffering a cut to his hand, and was then allegedly stabbed in the arm and back with another knife.

The woman suffered a head wound after being pushed into a refrigerator during the incident.

Four children were at the home at the time of the incident but were not injured.

Police were called to the home several hours later and the man, aged 32, was taken to John Hunter Hospital where he is being treated for non life-threatening injuries.

The woman, aged 56, was taken to Belmont Hospital, then to Belmont Police Station upon her release.

She was charged with reckless wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and has been refused bail to appear at Toronto Local Court today (Tuesday 2 August 2016).

Inquiries are continuing.

Police have charged 19 people after a retail theft operation in Charlestown last week.

Officers from the Lake Macquarie Target Action Group and Property Crime Reduction Team undertook a retail theft operation in the Charlestown area between Wednesday 27 July and Saturday 30 July.

The operation was established after police identified a significant increase in retail theft in the Charlestown area in the first half of 2016.

During the operation police apprehended 62 people. Of these 62 people, 19 people were charged. A total of 49 offences, mainly relating to retail theft, were charged, 30 criminal infringement notices were given out and 12 juveniles were cautioned.

During the operation the following people were charged:

A 34-year-old female was charged with shoplifting, goods in custody and resist arrest. She was granted bail and will appear in Belmont Local Court on 24 August 2016.

A 42-year-old male was charged with shoplifting. He was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice and will appear in Belmont Local Court 24 August 2016.

A 15-year-old male appeared at a Children’s Court today (Monday 1 August 2016) after he was charged with shoplifting and enter dwelling with intent.

A 32-year-old female was charged with shoplifting. She was refused bail and will appear in Toronto Local Court on 6 September 2016.

A 29-year-old female appeared in Newcastle Local Court on Friday 29 July 2016 after she was charged with three counts of shoplifting and three outstanding warrants.

A 16-year-old male charged with two counts of break enter and steal. He was granted bail and will appear at a Children’s Court on 31 August 2016.

A 32-year-old male charged with take and drive conveyance and two counts of larceny. He was granted bail and will appear in Belmont Local Court on 24 August 2016.

A 31-year-old female charged with shoplifting and state false name. She was refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court on 15 September 2016.

A 28-year-old male charged stealing. He was issued a Field Court Attendance Notice and will appear at Belmont Local Court on 31 August 2016.

Lake Macquarie Detective Superintendent, Brett Greentree, says the operation was a success and similar operations will be conducted in the coming months.

“It was a successful four-day operation with our officers making a significant number of arrests,” Superintendent Greentree said.

“With Christmas and peak shopping seasons coming up we will continue to monitor retail theft in the area and conduct similar operations.”

Police are appealing for information after a 73-year-old woman and her friend were robbed in Lambton last night.

About 6pm (Saturday 30 July 2016), the woman and her friend arrived at a home on Armstrong Street and commenced to unpack the boot of a vehicle.

The pair entered a unit and a short time later, an unknown man appeared at the premises, before threatening the pair and demanding their handbags.

The man fled the scene, taking two handbags. The women were uninjured.

Officers attached to Newcastle City Local Area Command were called and established a crime scene.

As inquiries into the incident continue, police would like to speak to a man who may be able to assist them.

He is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 30-years-old, of medium build, and was seen wearing a beanie.

Anyone with information is urged to come forward and contact local police via Crime Stoppers.