STRIKE FORCE police have zeroed in on a wanted Tamworth man who was more than 1000km away, and levelled fresh charges against him relating to a violent home invasion.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Jai Lake, 21, spent the night in the police cells after his arrest on Tuesday afternoon before fronting Wentworth Local Court on Wednesday, where a magistrate ordered him to remain behind bars.
Two men - including Lake - allegedly tried to run but were quickly caught when proactive officers from the Barrier Police District attempted to stop them while on patrol in the border town of Broken Hill about 3pm.
Police confirmed the officers were following information from the state's Robbery and Serious Crime Squad's Strike Force Tabain.
The specialist team was set up to investigate a violent home invasion in South Tamworth earlier this year, which left a young family shaken when a gunshot was fired.
Lake is accused of being one of three masked men who were wielding stolen firearms when they forced entry to a Thompson Crescent home just after 10pm on March 2.
Police were told one of the men threatened a 27-year-old man inside the home with a gun - firing a shot - then cut his fingers with a machete.
The trio demanded cash and personal items before fleeing on foot in the direction of Central Avenue.
The injured man was taken to Tamworth hospital but has since been released, while a 26-year-old woman and two children at home at the time were not physically hurt.
READ ALSO:
Lake was charged with robbery armed with a dangerous weapon; possessing a loaded firearm and endangering life; as well as three counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm.
He has not yet been required to enter pleas to the allegations.
The matter was adjourned to Tamworth Local Court later this month.
A 19-year-old man remains before the court after he was arrested on Gap Road last week, also accused of being one of the three masked men.
The third has not yet been arrested, police confirmed.
A teenage girl is also before the court for her alleged involvement, including an allegation of hindering the arrest of a person who committed a serious offence.
A breakthrough came after a raid in West Tamworth last week uncovered the three guns - which had been reported stolen - that police allege were used in the home invasion.
They were seized for forensic examination and ballistic testing.
Investigations by Strike Force Tabain - which was set up in the wake of the home invasion - are continuing.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News