A truck driver miraculously escaped injury when the semi-trailer he was driving became fully engulfed by flames, causing serious traffic delays on the Hume Highway.

Cars banked up on the busy stretch from Sydney to Melbourne as six fire crews worked to extinguish the mail truck near Wagga after it caught alight about 2pm Saturday.

A Rural Fire Service spokesman said trucks from Wagga, Tarcutta and Borambola extinguished the fire within two hours.

HAZMAT teams were called in to clear the fuel off the road and the road was opened later that night.

While the cause of the fire remains unknown, duty officer Inspector Mark Murphy confirmed it wasn’t being treated as suspicious.

Miraculously, the driver sustained no injuries.

Police are appealing for information following an indecent incident in Newcastle.

About 11.30pm on Thursday (11 December 2014), a woman was waiting at a bus stop near the intersection of Hunter and Auckland Streets, Newcastle.

She was approached by a man who exposed himself and performed an indecent act.

Police are appealing for information about a man who may be able to assist with their inquiries.

He is described as Caucasian in appearance, of solid build and aged 40 to 50 years.

At the time he was wearing an orange/pink coloured t-shirt with a drawing on the front, a black cap, black shorts and white joggers.

Anyone with information should contact Newcastle Police Station on 02 4929 0999 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are investigating after a father and daughter were assaulted and robbed by a number of people in Charlestown yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon (Sunday 12 April 2015), a 14-year-old girl and her 41-year-old father were leaving a shopping centre on Pearson Street, when a number of people approached them.

Police have been told an altercation ensued between the man and a number of males, in which the man was assaulted a number of times.

The girl went to the assistance of her father, when she was assaulted.

During the altercation, the man’s car keys, mobile phone and wallet were taken.

Emergency services were called and the group fled the scene.

The father and daughter were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Local Area Command attended and commenced investigating the incident.

As they continue their inquiries, any witnesses, or anyone with information is urged to come forward and contact police via Crime Stoppers.

Police are appealing for public assistance after three children were approached in the state’s Hunter region yesterday.
About 1.45pm (Saturday 11 April 2015), a 10-year-old girl was walking along Schanck Drive, Metford, with her eight-year-old brother and an eight-year-old friend when a vehicle approached them.

Police have been told a man driving the vehicle spoke to the girl, asking her to get into the vehicle, when the girl declined the man drove from the scene.

The girl alerted her mother, who contacted police.

Officers attached to Central Hunter Local Area Command commenced investigating the incident.

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

He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, with a white beard.

Police are investigating following a stabbing in Newcastle last night.

About 9.30pm (Friday 10 April 2015), a 24-year-old man was walking on Hunter Street, near a footbridge at Market Street, when he was approached by a man and an altercation took place.

During the altercation the man produced a knife and stabbed the 24-year-old man in the stomach, before running away.

The 24-year-old man was taken by a friend to John Hunter Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police from Newcastle Local Area Command were notified and have commenced an investigation.

Investigators are hoping to speak with a man who may be able to assist with inquiries.

He is described as Caucasian in appearance with lightly tanned skin, in his mid 20s, with a skinny build, and black hair. He was wearing a black hooded jumper, check pattern shorts, and a white cap.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

Two men have been charged, one on drug supply charges, after they were arrested in an allegedly stolen car in Jesmond yesterday afternoon.

About 12.20 pm (Friday 10 April 2015), police from Newcastle City Local Area Command stopped an allegedly stolen green Holden Commodore on Blue Gum Road.

The driver, a 30-year-old Shortland man, and passenger, a 29-year-old Cameron Park man, were arrested.

During a search of the men, police allegedly located an amount of drugs believed to be methylamphetamine (ICE), on the passenger, and an amount of drugs, believed to be cannabis, on the driver.

The drugs were seized and will undergo forensic examinations.

Both men were taken to Waratah Police Station.

The driver was charged with possess prohibited drug, drive whilst disqualified, and an outstanding warrant.

The passenger was charged with supply indictable quantity of prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug, and be carried in conveyance.
Both men were refused bail and will appear at Newcastle Local Court today.

Police have commenced an investigation after a man died in Cessnock earlier this evening.

Around 7.30pm today (Friday 10 April 2015), police and ambulance paramedics were called to the corner of Government Road and Pangari Parade following reports a man had been stabbed.

Emergency services attended the location, where they located and started to treat a man who had sustained a number of wounds to his upper body.

Despite the efforts of police and ambulance paramedics, the man, aged in his 20s, died at the scene.

Police remain at the location, where they are conducting a canvass of the area and speaking to local residents.

A man will face court after a search warrant was executed at a home in New Lambton this week, resulting in illicit drugs and firearms being seized.

About 2.10pm (Wednesday 8 April 2015), officers attached to the Waratah Special Operations Group and Newcastle City detectives executed a search warrant at a home on Hobart Road.

Police allegedly located:

– about 50 vials and about 700 tablets of a substance believed to be steroids,

– more than 15 grams of amphetamines,

– more than 51 grams of what is believed to be cocaine,

– two firearms,

– jewellery, and,

– cash.

No one was at the home at the time of the incident.

Following inquiries, about 7am yesterday (Thursday 9 April 2015), a 39-year-old man attended Waratah Police Station, where he was arrested.

He has been charged with six offences, including supply prohibited drug, possess prohibited, and not complying with safe storage requirements for pistols.

The man appeared at Newcastle Local Court yesterday, where he was granted conditional bail, and will reappear at the same court on Wednesday 3 June 2015.

Police have charged a man with robbing a taxi driver and a service station in the Newcastle area.

About midnight on Monday (6 April 2015), a man got into a taxi in Islington.

It’s alleged he threatened the taxi driver with a knife, before stealing her mobile phone and an amount of cash.

Police from Newcastle City Local Area Command have been investigating the incident, including a review of CCTV footage from inside the taxi.

About 6am yesterday (Wednesday 8 April 2015), police responded to reports of an armed robbery at a service station on Maitland Road, Mayfield West.

A man allegedly threatened an employee with a knife, before fleeing the premises on a bicycle with cash, groceries and cigarettes.

Following inquiries, police attended a home on Hanbury Street, Mayfield, about 7.30am yesterday.

They attempted to arrest a 22-year-old man, who allegedly jumped from a second-storey window to evade police.

The man was apprehended after a short foot pursuit and taken to Newcastle Police Station, where he was charged with two counts of robbery armed with an offensive weapon.

The man was refused bail and is due to appear before Newcastle Local Court today (Thursday 9 April 2015).