Robbery and Serious Crime Squad detectives have charged two men over the alleged kidnapping of a man and a woman at Fairfield earlier this year.
About 11.40am on Wednesday 18 January 2023, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were walking towards a carpark on Court Road, Fairfield, before two men wearing balaclavas grabbed the pair and forced them into a vehicle.
The vehicle then exited the carpark and was last seen travelling west along The Horsley Drive.
Detectives from the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad were notified and commenced an investigation under Strike Force Bultje.
About 12.15am on Friday 20 January 2023, the pair escaped a location at Swan Bay, about 25km north-east of Raymond Terrace, before calling a family member who contacted police.
Local officers from the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended and assessed the pair, before they were taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment; man’s finger was severed during the incident.
Following extensive inquiries, strike force detectives – with assistance from the Public Order and Riot Squad and South West Metropolitan Region Enforcement Squad (RES) – executed two search warrants at homes in Smithfield and Cartwright from 6.45am on Tuesday 4 April 2023.
Two men, aged 24 and 25, were arrested and taken to Fairfield Police Station, where they were both charged with two counts of take/detain in company with intent to ransom occasion actual bodily harm, and one count each of be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.
Police will allege in court the pair were taken to a location at Swan Bay where they were held against their will.
The older man was also charged with one count of damage property by fire for a separate incident, where a Molotov cocktail was allegedly thrown towards a home in Bossley Park on Sunday 22 January 2023.
Both men were refused bail to appear at Fairfield Local Court earlier this month, where they were formally bail refused to reappear before Parramatta Local Court on Monday 1 May 2023.