A 34-year-old man remains at large after fleeing from a home in the Boat Harbour area of Port Stephens when officers came knocking on Friday afternoon, August 4.
Detectives attached to the state's Robbery and Serious Crime Unit converged on a house on Gan Gan Road near Koala Place around 3.30pm, understood by the Newcastle Herald to have been tipped off that a man wanted for serious robbery and criminal group activity in Sydney was staying there.
When officers arrived to make the arrest, the man fled into bushland sparking a wide-scale search that saw tactical officers and police aircraft scouring the area into the night. The man, however, has not been seen since.
Detectives attached to the State Crime Command arrested a 32-year-old woman at the property and, in the meantime, seized cash, drugs and mobile phones for forensic examination.
The woman was taken to Raymond Terrace Police station where she was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence. She was given conditional bail and will face Raymond Terrace Local Court in September.
Detectives leading the investigation were still looking for their man on Saturday, but had called off the concerted search effort which involved assistance from local officers.
The Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, meanwhile, issued a statement in the afternoon calling for information about the whereabouts of Robbie O'Reilly, 34, and Simon Khurana, 36, who were both wanted on outstanding warrants for robbery in company, participation in a criminal organisation and other serious offences.
Warrants were issued in April for both men, as well as a third - 39-year-old Nathan Stuart - who police believed were planning to carry out a robbery in the Penrith area.
Officers said at the time that it was possible the trio were planning to kidnap a person as part of the alleged robbery plot.
Mr O'Reilly, police said, was thought to be living on the Central Coast but is now believed to be staying in the Port Stephens area and spending time at Raymond Terrace.
Detectives described him as being of Caucasian appearance, about 170 centimetres tall, with a medium build and short dark hair and beard. He has blue eyes and wears glasses, police said.
Mr Khurana has also been described as Caucasian, about the same height as Mr O'Reilly, with a medium build and brown eyes, and is believed to be in the Central Coast area.
Anyone who sees either men, or may know of their whereabouts, is urged not to approach them and contact Triple Zero.
Anyone who has information that could help investigators is being urged to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.
