An Allambie Heights man will face court today charged over yesterday’s man-hunt through the Brookvale area.
About 10am yesterday (Wednesday 12 January 2022), emergency services were called to a business on Pittwater Road, Brookvale, after reports a man had allegedly threatened an employee with an axe.
We were reporting live while police used a loud speaker from the Pol-Air helicopter to ask residents and shoppers to remain indoors and not to approach the man, who was understood to be armed with an axe. Many residents contacted us unclear on what was being said and we confirmed with police.
Officers from Northern Beaches Police Area Command attended and were told the unknown man had allegedly left the store, understood to be Total Tools, without paying for several items.
An employee of the store – a 21-year-old man – attempted to stop him, before he was allegedly threatened with an axe.
A short time later on Pittwater Road, Brookvale, the man allegedly threatened another employee of the store – a 35-year-old man – and a 62-year-old man, before fleeing the scene.
Police conducted a search of the area, with the assistance of the Dog Unit and PolAir, but the man could not be located.
Following inquiries, officers attended a home on Normandy Road, Allambie Heights, about 11.30am (Wednesday 12 January 2022), where a 35-year-old man was arrested and taken to Manly Police Station.
About 4pm (Wednesday 12 January 2022), police executed a search warrant at a home on Normandy Road, Allambie Heights, where they seized cannabis plants and other items.
The man was charged with robbery armed with offensive weapon, use etc offensive weapon with intent to commit indictable offence (two counts) and cultivate prohibited plant small indictable quantity (two counts).
He was refused bail to appear at Manly Local Court today (Thursday 13 January 2022).
