Parramatta Local Area Command

Chisel allegedly used in attempted bus ‘hijack’ – Parramatta

A man is due to appear in Parramatta court today charged after allegedly threatening a Police officer and a bus-load of passengers with a chisel.

Senior Constable Tillman from Gladesville was on his lunch break and attending a course at Police Headquarters witnessed a man allegedly breaking into a car in Macarthur Street about 12.15pm.

The officer challenged the man who allegedly threatened him with a chisel, before running through the Parramatta CBD.

The officer called for assistance and continued to chase the man on foot before the alleged offender boarded a bus in Macquarie Street and threatened the driver and 50 passengers with the chisel.

Commander Acting Superintendent David Egan-Lee addressed a media conference in Parramatta. He described the bus as a full length Parramatta City Council CBD loop service.

The man allegedly attempted to start the bus before the officer intervened and was again threatened with the chisel before the man ran from the scene into a shopping centre.

The search for the man continued until shortly after 1.30pm when a resident of a block of units on the Great Western Highway flagged down a Highway Patrol car to report a man hiding in his garage had threatened him with a knife.

Police arrested a 41-year-old Guildford man and took him to Parramatta Police Station where he was charged with the following offences:

• Larceny (two counts),
• Use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention,
• Aggravated take/drive motor vehicle with person in/on it while armed with weapon (car-jacking),
• Use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention (two counts),
• Armed with intent to commit an indictable offence,
• Custody of knife in public place.

The man was refused bail before his court appearance later today.

Investigators are seeking to speak with anyone who witnessed the incident, especially the passengers on the bus.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Parramatta Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.