A KARUAH man charged over a series of break-ins at Port Stephens, including the brazen smash and grab of an ATM at Tea Gardens, has pleaded guilty and been refused bail in Raymond Terrace Local Court.
And during that period, Cobb had been hit with a number of other charges, including assaulting a law enforcement officer and inflicting actual bodily harm and possession of prohibited drugs.
Cobb applied for bail on Thursday, but it was refused and he pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated break and enter in company relating to two service station smash-and-grabs, a break-in at a house at Corlette and the theft of an ATM at Tea Gardens.
He also pleaded guilty to two charges relating to assaulting law enforcement officers and four counts of possessing drugs.
Cobb will remain behind bars and his matter will return to court later this month.
After a number of break-ins earlier this year, Port Stephens-Hunter police set up Strike Force Weemala and in June released CCTV footage and images of the smash-and-grabs in the hope of a breakthrough.
According to court documents, Mr Cobb and another man broke into the Ampol service station on Nelson Bay Road at Salt Ash about 3.45am on January 15 this year.
The pair left empty handed, but about 10 minutes later they broke into the Metro service station at Williamtown and stole more than $3500 worth of cigarettes.
And then, late on the night of March 15 this year, Mr Cobb broke into a home at Corlette and stole a Ford Ranger Raptor ute and other items, including two watches and a handbag.
In the early hours of the next morning, the ute was used in the theft of an ATM from a tobacconist on Myall Street at Tea Gardens, the thieves using a chain to pull the cash machine free before three men loaded the ATM into the tray and fled.
Court documents reveal the ATM contained $4900.
Police say they spotted the stolen ute in Tarean Road at Karuah a short time later.
They attempted to pull it over and a pursuit was triggered, which police later terminated for safety reasons.
Following extensive inquiries, police searched a home on Ridgeway Close at Karuah about 9am on Tuesday.
During the search, police allegedly located and seized several items believed to have been stolen including tools and vehicle parts.
Mr Cobb was arrested, charged and refused bail.
And sometime after that he was taken to hospital and charged with assaulting law enforcement officers, who court documents reveal were not the arresting police.
