Three teens have been charged over a series of alleged armed robberies in Sydney brothels.
Detectives from the NSW State Crime Command’s robbery and serious crime squad established Strike Force Generation to investigate four armed robberies at brothels as well as two attempted armed robberies.
The robberies and attempted robberies all took place within a week in Wollongong and Sydney’s west.
Just before 2am on February 8, police say two people allegedly threatened a 54-year-old male employee with a knife at a West St, Wollongong business.
Police allege they demanded cash before stabbing the man in the leg and fleeing.
At about 1.30am on February 15, police say two people allegedly threatened an employee with a knife and an axe, and threatened another with a knife.at a premises on Ballandalla R in Pendle Hill.
Police say they again demanded cash before leaving the scene in a white ute.
Around 45 minutes later, two people allegedly threatened a 61-year-old man with an axe and a knife at a business on Alan St in Fairfield.
They allegedly stole cash and a mobile phone before leaving the scene in a white ute.
Fifteen minutes later, two people allegedly threatened a 34-year-old man with a knife and an axe at a business on Christina Rd in Villawood.
Police allege he was struck to the head a number of times and the pair stole cash, an electronic tablet and then fled the scene.
NSW Police will allege two other businesses were targeted in attempted armed robberies in Clyde and Rydalmere that same morning.
After extensive inquiries, detectives searched a home in Marayong about 8am on Thursday and arrested two teenage boys, 16 and 17, and took them to the Riverstone Police Station.
The 17-year-old was charged with eight offences, including robbery/attempted robbery with an offensive weapon, larceny, and dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception.
The 16-year-old was charged with nine offences, similar to that of the 17-year-old.
A third teenage boy, also 16, was arrested later in the day a home in Kyeemagh and charged with seven offences of the same nature.
The three teenagers were refused bail to appear in the children’s courts on Friday.