LAGG MEDIA posted on May 02, 2009 14:34
POLICE and Railcorp Transit officers have raided two homes in Western Sydney and arrested three alleged members of a teenage graffiti gang. The gang is accused of a spree of malicious damage which was videoed and posted on the internet. Around 6.15 last night, officers from the Rail Vandalism Task Force simultaneously executed search warrants in Tanbark Circuit, Werrington Downs and Lindley Square, Bidwell after recieving information from community organisations and locals against graffiti.
Task Force officers are investigating a series of graffiti attacks and the theft of Railcorp property in the western suburbs last month. At Werrington Downs, Task Force officers arrested two 17-year-old youths and confiscated property including clothing, computer equipment and rail detonators. Whilst there, police allege one of the boys was assaulted by his father, who was also arrested and charged.
One of the 17-year-olds was charged with goods in custody, steal from person, possession of explosives and three counts of malicious damage in company.
The other was charged with first instance warrants and assault upon a Railcorp guard. Both were refused bail and are due to appear in the Parramatta Childrens Court today. The father was charged with assault. He was granted bail and ordered to appear in the Penrith Local Court on February 26.
At the Bidwell address, police arrested an 18-year-old man and seized a range of items including a full set of train keys, suspected of being stolen, a computer hard drive, mobile telephones, memory cards and spray cans. He was charged with three counts of being armed with intent, four counts of malicious damage in company, steal from person and obstruct railway. He was refused bail and is due to appear in the Mount Druitt Local Court today.
Police are continuing their efforts to locate other suspected members of the gang, allegedly responsible for stopping and tagging trains on the western rail line.
The teenagers are accused of filming their exploits and posting the footage on on-line social networks and other web sites.In a separate investigation, two men have been arrested by the Rail Vandalism Task Force in relation to other graffiti offences.
A 22-year-old man from Emu Plains will face Penrith Local Court today, charged with destroy/damage property in company, cause obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock and face blackened/disguised with intent to commit indictable offence. His 23-year-old co-accused from Jamisontown has pleaded guilty to the same charges and will be sentenced in the Penrith Local Court on March 12. Anyone with information about similar graffiti activity is urged to contact their local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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