Police are appealing for witnesses after a naked man approached a teenage girl near Port Stephens yesterday.

About 2.30pm (Thursday 21 January 2016), two 15-year-old girls were at Boat Harbour beach, 15km south of Port Stephens, when one of the teens went for a swim.

A short time later she got out of the water onto the rocks, when a naked man approached her.

He sat down beside her, before the other girl approached them and the man walked away.

As the girls left the area they saw the man committing a lewd act.

The pair walked home and informed one of their fathers, who contacted police.

Officers from Port Stephens Local Area Command attended and commenced an investigation.

Police patrolled the area but could not locate the man.

He has been described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged between 50 and 60, with grey hair, solid build and wearing a black baseball cap.

Investigators are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident, or anyone who may have information that will assist with their inquiries, to come forward.

Police have charged a man after he allegedly threatened a couple with a firearm at Muswellbrook last month.

About 1.30am (Saturday 19 December 2015), two women aged 23 and 24, and two men, aged 22 and 24, were at a home on Wollombi Road, when two further men approached the house.

The 22-year-old man and 24-year-old woman, got into a car and one of the men spoke to them.

The man, who was known to them, allegedly threatened them with a firearm. The couple drove away and the man allegedly fired a shot into the air.

Officers from Hunter Valley Local Area Command were contacted and investigations commenced.

On Friday (15 January 2016), officers stopped a car in Muswellbrook and arrested the driver, a 26-year-old man.

He was taken to Muswellbrook Police Station and charged with armed with intent to commit indictable offence, intimidate intend fear physical harm, possess unauthorised firearm and fire firearm in public place.

The man was refused bail and appeared at Muswellbrook Local Court on Saturday (16 January 2016), where he was formally refused bail to appear at Cessnock Local Court on Wednesday 20 January 2016.

Inquiries are continuing and Detectives are appealing for anyone who has information about the incident that have not yet spoken to police to contact Muswellbrook Police Station on 02 6542 6999 or Crime Stoppers.

A man has been extradited from Perth and charged in Sydney following an alleged crime spree across NSW.

Police from Lake Macquarie Local Area Command commenced an investigation after reports of multiple offences being committed across NSW since August 2015. These included; break and enters, stealings, vehicle thefts and fraud offences.

Following a complex investigation, officers travelled to Perth, WA, and arrested a 22-year-old man.

He was extradited to Sydney and taken to Mascot Police Station.

The man was charged with breaching his bail and six outstanding non-conviction warrants.

He was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Bail Court yesterday (Sunday 17 January 2016), where he was remanded.

A man has been charged after leading police on a pursuit in Belmont South overnight.

Shortly before 10pm (Saturday 16 January 2016), officers attached to Lake Macquarie Local Area Command received reports of a bronze-coloured Rolls-Royce driving dangerously from Catherine Hill Bay toward Belmont.

Police later intercepted the vehicle travelling north-bound on the Pacific Highway, near the Turea Street intersection.

The 58-year-old male driver allegedly failed to stop and a pursuit was initiated.

The vehicle came to stop at the Beach Street traffic control lights a short time later, at which point police surrounded the vehicle and directed the driver to exit the car.

The driver refused to comply, before allegedly reversing his vehicle into one of the police cars.

While being placed under arrest, it’s further alleged the man assaulted one of the officers and threatened them.

He was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with police pursuit (Skye’s Law), intimidate police (two counts), resist police, assault police, use weapon (vehicle) to prevent lawful detection (two counts) and refuse to submit to breath analysis. His licence was also suspended.

The man has now been refused bail to appear before Newcastle Bail Court this morning (Sunday 17 January 2016).

Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.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.

A man has been charged over the alleged supply of drugs after a vehicle stop on the Central Coast.

About 3.30am today (Saturday 16 January 2016), police were patrolling Morisset when they sighted a Mitsubishi Triton drive at high speed on Alliance Avenue.

Police stopped the vehicle and spoke to the three occupants, including a female and two males.

As a result of the conversations, police formed suspicions, and searched the three.

During the search of the front seat passenger, a 46-year-old man, police allegedly located an amount of amphetamine, cannabis, a set of scales and resealable bags.

The man was arrested and taken to Toronto Police Station where he was charged with possess prohibited drug and supply prohibited drug.

He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Saturday 16 January 2016).

The other two occupants were not charged

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate a missing 42-year-old Wallsend man.

Gregory Rush works at Strathfield and resides at Belmore, in Sydney’s south-west, during the week. He returns to his mother’s address at Wallsend on weekends.

On Monday 11 January, Mr Rush didn’t arrive at work as scheduled and a check of his Belmore residence found no sign of him.

He had not been at this mother’s address either.

Police and Mr Rush’s family are concerned for his welfare as his disappearance is out of character.

He is described as 180cm tall, with a slim build, black curly hair and green eyes. He has tattoos of eagles on his upper back and upper right arm. .

Mr Rush’s car, a white Ford with NSW registration plates – UKR 765 – is yet to be located.

Police are appealing for witnesses following a robbery at Newcastle this morning.

About 2.20am (Thursday 14 January 2016), two men – aged 20 and 25 – were walking in a laneway between Wharf Road and Hunter Street, when a black Holden Commodore with four males inside stopped and exited the vehicle.

Police have been told the males confronted the 20-year-old man, before punching and kicking him.

They left the scene in the vehicle, taking cash and an iPod.

Following the incident, officers from Newcastle City Local Area Command and NSW Ambulance Paramedics were called.

The 20-year-old man was taken to John Hunter Hospital with facial injuries.

Investigations into the incident are continuing and police are appealing for anyone with information about the robbery to come forward.

Police will investigate the cause of a fire at Wallsend this morning.

About 6.30am (Wednesday 13 January 2016), emergency services were called to a granny flat at a home on Thomas Street, following reports the flat was on fire.

Fire & Rescue NSW personnel attended and extinguished the fire a short time later; however the granny flat was completely destroyed.
No one was at the premises at the time of the incident.

Officers attached to Newcastle City Local Area Command attended and established a crime scene, which will be forensically examined.

The cause of the fire is not known, and police are appealing for any witnesses, or anyone with information, to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers.

Police are investigating after a cyclist was hit by a vehicle at Newcastle yesterday.

About 5.05pm (Monday 11 January 2016), police have been told a cyclist was riding along Darby Street, Cooks Hill, when he was hit at the intersection of Parry Street.

The vehicle, believed to be a white Holden Rodeo, did not stop after the incident.

The rider, a 25-year-old man, was not seriously injured. He attended Newcastle Police Station to report the incident.

Officers from Newcastle City Local Area Command are appealing for information from any witnesses who have not yet spoken to police.