A 41-year-old St Ives man has been arrested over allegations he threatened to petrol bomb a Dee Why restaurant after being removed for harassing customers and intimidating staff.
Detectives arrested the man on Tuesday following a series of incidents at the unnamed eatery on The Strand last November.
On his final visit, police allege he left a threatening letter (a scorched greeting card demanding money) and a device that resembled a petrol bomb. Police allege that the 10-litre reservoir contained an accelerant.
The restaurant owners contacted the police, who seized the letter and device and had them forensically examined. Police allege the man’s DNA and fingerprints were on both items.
On 14 April, detectives attended the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Silverwater, where the man was in custody for unrelated matters.
He agreed to be interviewed and admitted to the incident.
Police charged him with one count of ‘Leaving or sending an article with intent to cause alarm – Section 93R NSW Crimes Act’, and one count of ‘Intimidation – Section 13(1) Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act’.
He was refused bail to appear at Manly Local Court on 22 April 2026.
Cold-call scammer steals over $18,000
Around 4:30pm on Friday, 10 April 2026, a man from Dee Why received a call from a person purporting to be from the Fraud Unit at Unity Bank.
The caller convinced the victim, in his sixties, to reveal codes that were sent to his phone by SMS.
Police suspect the victim’s bank account was already compromised and the SMS codes were connected to fraudulent withdrawals made by the scammer using two-factor authentication.
The scammer continued the ruse and tried to persuade the victim into transferring funds between his accounts, and that’s when the victim ended the call.
He soon realised over $18,000 was stolen from his bank account.
A report was made to the bank and the police.
DV arrest
Police have arrested a 56-year-old man in the NSW Southern Highlands after reports a woman was assaulted and choked in her Dee Why home after she told the man to leave.
Investigations through a number of Sydney suburbs led Beaches police to find and charge the man with ‘intentionally choke person with recklessness (DV)’.
An Apprehended Domestic Violence Order is also in place.
The man will face court next week.
