On Saturday, January 16 around 8pm a 25-year-old Taree man, a 22-year-old Wallabi Point man, and 16-year-old Taree youth travelled along the Manning River in a boat driven by the 25-year-old. They moored the boat at the Croki boat ramp. The three disembarked the boat and two of the men entered a Croki premises where they have stolen meat from a chest freezer. They have also stolen four fishing rods.
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The men took the meat and fishing rods to the boat before they proceeded to cook the meat on a barbecue at the Croki riverfront reserve. Two of the men returned to the residential premises and obtained further packages of frozen meat from the chest freezer. At this time, they were disturbed by a witness and as a result have fled the premises towards their boat. They have boarded the boat and fled towards the middle of the river.
The boat was steered the boat to the wharf where they collected the third person from the wharf where he left the meat cooking on the barbecue.
Police travelled along the Manning River from Coopernook where they saw the three offenders on the boat. The group boarded the boat from the Croki boat ramp and upon sighting police accelerated away from police.
A short distance later the boat motor stalled in the middle of the river. Police arrested the offenders and they were placed on the boat police had previously commandeered. Police located several fishing rods within the boat which were identified by the victim.
The offenders were then conveyed to Taree Police Station where they were charged with Aggravated Break and Enter into Dwelling in Company and Steal.
The 25 year old man was refused bail to appear at Taree Local Court on 19 January, 2021. The 22-year-old man was conditionally bailed to appear at Taree Local Court on February 9, 2021. The 16-year-old youth was conditionally bailed to appear at Taree Children's Court on February 4, 2021.