Police are investigating after two teenagers reported being approached by a man in Newcastle West.

The two girls, both aged 13, were walking along Steel Street about 2.40pm yesterday (Monday 6 July 2015).

Police have been told a white van drove past the girls.

The male driver reportedly called out to them, before the van turned into Parry Street and parked on the side of the road.

Fearing for their safety, the girls ran into a nearby shopping centre.

They spoke with security personnel, who contacted the girls’ parents.

Officers from Newcastle City Local Area Command are investigating the incident.

Police are appealing for the public’s assistance to help them find a man missing from the Hunter.

Michael Fowler, a 55-year-old man from Williamtown, was last seen at a fast-food restaurant on Nelson Bay Road, Williamtown, around midday last Friday (3 July 2015).

He has not been seen or heard from since.

Mr Fowler’s family has reported him missing to police, and a coordinated land search of the local area is now underway.

Mr Fowler is described as being of Caucasian appearance, with light-brown hair and hazel eyes. He stands around 165cm tall and has a medium build. At the time he was last sighted, Mr Fowler was wearing a khaki-coloured, military-style jacket and dark trousers.

Anyone with information that may help police find Mr Fowler is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers.

Three young people have been charged after a man was allegedly hit with a tree branch and robbed at Newcastle last week.

Simultaneous search warrants were executed on homes in Davis Street, Wallsend, about 8.15am today (Monday 6 July 2015), by police from Newcastle Local Area Command.

A 20-year-old man, a 17-year-old youth and a 13-year-old boy were arrested and taken to Newcastle Police Station.

They were each charged with aggravated robbery; the boy was also charged with larceny.

The charges relate to an incident about 7pm last Tuesday (30 June 2015), when a 21-year-old man was allegedly assaulted and robbed of his backpack within university grounds.

The man sustained injuries to his head and leg during the alleged attack.

Police allege an electronic tablet – stolen during the robbery – was recovered from one of the homes during today’s search.

The man is due to appear in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 30 July 2015.

The two juveniles will be appearing in a children’s court on Monday 27 July 2015.

A man has been charged after a large quantity, of what is believed to be, illicit drugs were found in his possession at Newcastle tonight.

Uniformed Police from Newcastle City Local Area Command were conducting a foot patrol of the Honeysuckle entertainment precinct, about 8pm (Sunday 5 July 2015), when they spoke to a man with a suitcase.

As the conversation progressed, officers became increasingly suspicious of the man; as a result the man and the suitcase were searched.

Police will allege they discovered substances which they believe to be a commercial quantity of the drugs ‘Ice’, MDMA, and cocaine.

The 46-year-old man was arrested and taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with supply prohibited drug (commercial quantity), and two counts of supply prohibited drug (indictable quantity).

He has been refused bail, to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Monday 6 July 2015).

Police and WorkCover NSW are investigating after a man died following an incident at Sandgate, near Newcastle this morning.

Just after 9.30am (Saturday 4 July 2015), emergency services were called to a transport business on Old Maitland Road, Sandgate after reports of a worker being injured.

NSW Ambulance Paramedics treated the 47-year-old man but he died at the scene.

Officers from Newcastle City Local Area Command established a crime scene and have commenced investigations into the incident.

The incident will be investigated by WorkCover NSW and police.

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Police are investigating after a woman dies following a car crash in Warners Bay this afternoon.

About 1.25pm (Wednesday 1 July 2015), a car was travelling on Hillsborough Road near Crockett Street, when it has crashed into a pole.

Emergency services responded and Lake Macquarie Local Area Command officers attended.

The passenger of the car, a woman aged 73, was taken to John Hunter Hospital but died on arrival.

The driver, a man believed to be aged in his 70’s, has been taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment and mandatory blood and urine testing.

An investigation has commenced and officers are appealing for anyone with information about the crash to call Crime Stoppers.

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Firearms Squad detectives have arrested a woman for firearm possession after investigations into the alleged theft of guns by two men impersonating police officers in the Hunter region last year.

About 8.30am on Wednesday 29 October 2014, a property owner at Clarence Town was approached by two men at his home who purported to be plain clothes police officers.

Detectives were told two revolvers were stolen from the premises, with those firearms recovered during a search warrant at Mayfield East the following day.

Three men, aged 28, 29 and 32, remain before the court on related charges.

Yesterday morning (Monday 29 June 2015), Firearms Squad detectives arrested a 30-year-old woman at Waratah Police Station.

She was charged with two counts of possessing an unauthorised pistol and granted conditional bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 6 August 2015.