Police are investigating a fatal crash in the state’s Hunter region.

Emergency services were called to Putty Road at Milbrodale about 2.30pm today (Sunday 16 August 2015), after a motorcycle left the road and crashed.

The male rider, believed to be aged in his 50s, died at the scene.

Police from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command and Hunter Valley Local Area Command attended and have commenced inquiries.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

A man has died following a single-vehicle crash at Freemans Waterhole, in the state’s Lake Macquarie region.

About 9.30am today (Sunday 15 August 2015), police were called to Cessnock Road after a Holden Commodore left the road and hit a tree.

The driver, a 31-year-old man, died at the scene.

Officers from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command established a crime scene and are investigating the incident.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

A motorcycle rider has been taken to hospital following a crash at Morisset this afternoon.

Just before 3.30pm (Sunday 16 August 2015), two motorcyclists were travelling south on the F3 freeway.

About 3km south of the Mandalong Road off ramp, one male rider fell from his motorcycle after riding over road debris.

Emergency services were called to the incident and the man was transported to hospital by NSW Ambulance Paramedics with non-life threatening injuries.

Traffic & Highway Patrol officers are investigating the incident.

Traffic travelling south on the F3 is currently congested with only one lane open.

Motorists are advised to use alternate routes or delay travelling in the area and should consult www.livetraffic.com.au for further information.

Detectives from the Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit have charged a Maitland man with a child pornography offence.

Police were conducting online operations while using the assumed identity of a woman with an 11-year-old daughter when they were contacted by a man.

It will be alleged the man took part in a number of conversations in which he discussed sexual activity with the 11-year-old child.

About 11.30am today (Thursday 13 August 2015), detectives arrested a 27-year-old man at a licensed premises in Maitland. A search warrant was executed upon accommodation at the hotel.

The local man was taken to Maitland Police Station where he was charged with using a carriage service for child pornography material.

He has been granted conditional bail to appear at Maitland Local Court on 7 September 2015.

Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the Child Exploitation Internet Unit, and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.

Anyone with information about internet predators should 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.

Meanwhile, police are again urging parents and children to be mindful of the dangers associated with the internet.

Safe internet use – tips for parents:

• Be aware of how much time your child spends on the internet.
• Spend time talking to your child about the dangers associated with online conversations.
• Spend time exploring the internet with your children and let them teach you about their favourite websites.
• Keep the computer in a room the whole family can access; not in your child’s bedroom.
• Consider installing filtering and/or computer blocking software provided by your internet service provider. The Netalert web page provides information on a number of commercially-available products at www.netalert.net.au.
• Ensure you are able to access your child’s email and randomly check the contents.
• Check your phone bill for unusual outgoing calls, or consider using a ‘caller ID’ device to identify incoming calls.
• Consult your telephone company for options designed to ensure privacy and security.
• Enquire with your child’s school, public library, and places they frequent, to find out what internet safety measures they have in place.
• Information on internet safety is available on the NSW Police website at: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/community_issues/children/child_exploitation

Tips for children:

• Do not send a picture of yourself to anyone you don’t know and never place a full profile and picture anywhere on the internet.
• Never give out your personal information, including name, home address, phone number or school, over the internet.
• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone you have chatted with on the internet.
• Tell your parents or another adult you know of any contact that makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Remember that pressing ‘send’ is definite and final – you can’t get it back or take it down.

Police have charged a teenage boy after a firearm was seized following a bag search in a shopping centre at Jesmond yesterday.

About 7am (Wednesday 5 August 2015), a business on Allowah Street, Waratah, was broken into by a male who allegedly threatened staff with a firearm and stole a number of items.

The male also allegedly stole a Toyota Camry sedan and left the area.

About 1.25pm yesterday (Wednesday 12 August), officers from Newcastle City Local Area Command were patrolling near a shopping centre on Newcastle Road, when a stolen Toyota Camry was sighted.

Police searched the shopping complex and a teenage boy was stopped and spoken to.

The boy was searched and officers allegedly located a shortened .22 bolt action rifle in his bag.

He was arrested and taken to Waratah Police Station.

The teen was charged with conveyance taken without consent of owner, never licensed persons drive vehicle on road, possess unauthorised prohibited firearm and not keep firearm safely.

He was bail refused and appeared at a Children’s Court today (Thursday 13 August 2015), where he was refused bail to reappear at a Children’s Court on Monday 7 September 2015.

Inquiries are continuing and investigators are appealing for anyone with information about the robbery to contact Crime Stoppers.

Police are investigating the armed robbery of a service station in the Hunter region.

About 8.30pm yesterday (Wednesday 12 August 2015), two men entered a service station on Main Road, Heddon Greta and threatened the attendant with a firearm and a metal bar, demanding cash.

A small amount of cash was given to the men before they ran from the scene. The attendant was uninjured.

One of the men is described as aged in his late teens, 170cm tall, brown hair and wearing a blue/silver coloured jumper and brown pants. He was armed with a metal bar.

The other male is described as aged in his late teens, 180cm tall, blonde hair and wearing a black jumper and jeans. He was armed with a small black handgun.

Both males had their face covered.

Police from Central Hunter Local Area Command and the Dog Squad attended however the offenders were not located.

A man has been charged after he allegedly exposed himself to two teenagers at Waratah yesterday.

About 4.30pm (Monday 11 August 2015), a girl and boy – both aged 14 – were with a group of friends on Station Street when a 34-year-old man approached them.

It’s alleged the man exposed himself to the pair before leaving the area.

The matter was reported to police from Newcastle City Local Area Command, who arrested the man later in the evening at his home.

He was charged with wilful and obscene exposure and granted strict conditional bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 27 August 2015.