A TENAMBIT man accused of leading police on a wild pursuit and attempting to carjack two people with a spear gun in August has been charged over a jewellery store robbery at Greenhills shopping centre six weeks earlier.
Luke Jurak, 36, appeared in Maitland Local Court last week via audio visual link from jail, where he has been since August 22 when he was charged over an alleged brawl at Tenambit, frantic pursuit - during which he is accused of ramming a police vehicle - and two attempted carjackings.
Detectives had been looking for two men over a jewellery store smash and grab at Greenhills since early July and in late October went to Silverwater Correctional Centre and charged Mr Jurak.
Mr Jurak was unrepresented when he appeared in court last week charged with stealing, having his face disguised with the intent to commit a serious indictable offence and damaging property. He did not enter any pleas or apply for bail and the matter was adjourned until November 17.
Police say a man walked into a jewellery store at Greenhills shopping centre about 9.30am on July 6 and used a Toolpro multi tool emergency hammer to smash the glass of a jewellery cabinet, before fleeing with items worth about $107,000.
Police formed Strike Force Malwood to investigate and made repeated appeals for information, releasing CCTV footage of the robbery and a trail bike seen fleeing the scene shortly after.
As well as Mr Jurak, detectives arrested a 38-year-old man at a home at Tenambit in September. He will appear in court later this month.
In Mr Jurak's other matter, police were called to O'Hearn Street in Tenambit about 11.30am on August 22, following reports of a brawl. When officers arrived, they allegedly found Mr Jurak armed with a speargun.
They say he immediately took off in a Holden Statesman sedan with Queensland number plates. During the subsequent chase, police say Mr Jurak rammed a caged police vehicle and the pursuit was called off due to safety concerns.
Police were called to Melbourne Street, East Maitland, a short time later where the Holden had reportedly lost control. After abandoning the alleged getaway vehicle, police say Mr Jurak then used a spear gun to threaten the drivers of two other vehicles in attempted carjackings. The first alleged target was a Kia Cerrato being driven by a female, who he is also accused of assaulting.
The second alleged carjacking target was a Volkswagen Tiguan. The Holden was later found parked at the rear of a unit block on Newcastle Street, where officers forced their way into a unit and arrested Mr Jurak. He has not entered any pleas in relation to those matters.
