A TAMWORTH man has been arrested, accused of a bag snatch and riding in a stolen car.
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The suspect, tracked to Sydney, was arrested in Granville on Thursday afternoon and questioned by investigators about the Calala bag snatch on December 14.
The 22-year-old was charged with stealing from a person, and granted bail by Sydney police to report regularly to police and live in Merrylands. He will front court in mid-February.
Police allege he was one of two people who confronted a woman from behind as she walked home along Calala Lane about 1am.
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Two men grabbed her handbag, containing a wallet, keys and other goods, from her shoulder and then ran off towards Osprey Way.
The woman was not injured.
In January, detectives released CCTV images of three men in and outside a hotel in the CBD; they were sought for questioning in relation to the bag snatch.
"Tamworth detectives have been searching for a suspect, as a result of a significant information from the community," Oxley Detective Acting Inspector Jason Darcy told the Leader.
"Police released images in January and, as a result of that, police received a significant amount of information from the public. From that police were able to identity a suspect, who was arrested without incident in Sydney on Thursday night.
"This was a serious incident involving a woman on her way home after enjoying a night out when she was set upon. We are still searching for a second offender and police would appeal for any further information in relation to the identify of that male."
The man also faces one charge of being carried in a stolen car after a vehicle was stolen from Levien Avenue in East Tamworth and involved in a police pursuit on January 15 between Moonbi and Tamworth.
Detective Darcy said the arrest was one of four in as many days for significant offences.
"This arrest follows on from the good results of Strike Force Freddie, which saw two men charged this week after an aggravated home invasion in Oxley Vale; as well as the arrest of a juvenile for an aggravated break-in in Narrabri this week," he said.
"Police are making inroads in relation to these crimes, and that is a result of community information."
Breanna Chillingworth
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
Northern Daily Leader Senior Crime and Court Reporter
