Nine men and a woman have been charged following investigations into the theft of approximately $400,000 worth of hot water systems across Sydney’s south-west and Illawarra region. Strike Force Dirrus, comprising officers attached to Lake Illawarra Local Area Command’s Anti-Theft Unit, was formed in July 2014 to investigate the theft of approximately 200 gas hot water systems. It will be alleged investigations led police to a group of men who were stealing the hot water systems from newly built houses across Sydney. Police will further allege other trades people were knowingly purchasing the stolen hot water systems before selling them on to home owners at a profit. Between Tuesday 16 and Thursday 18 December 2014, investigators arrested nine men and a woman across Sydney taking them to Bankstown and Kogarah Police Stations. Two men, aged 32 and 33, who police will allege were stealing the hot water systems, were charged with 69 various offences including steal property in dwelling house, aggravated break and enter with intent, dispose of property, goods in custody, deal with proceeds of crime and resist arrest. Both men were refused bail and will appear in Central Local Court and Sutherland Local Court on Thursday 19 February 2015. A 20-year-old man was charged with steal property in dwelling house and dispose of property while a 28-year-old man was charged with receive property (x6), attempt to receive property and not keep firearm safely. Another man, aged 61, was charged with receive property. All three were granted conditional bail to appear in Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday 14 January 2015. A 30-year-old woman was charged with aggravated break and enter with intent, steal property in dwelling house and six counts of concealing a serious indictable offence. She was granted conditional bail to appear in Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday 4 February 2015. Three men, aged 29, 45, 56 will be issued court attendance notices for the offences of receive property and recklessly deal with proceeds of crime. They will appear in Liverpool Local Court on Wednesday 4 February 2015. A 26-year-old man was charged with steal property in dwelling house, dispose of stolen property and dealing in the proceeds of crime. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday 19 February 2015. Investigations by Strike Force Dirrus are continuing with further arrests and charges expected. Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.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.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 04:45:21 +0000