A MAN will face court on Monday accused of several offences after an 85-year-old shopper challenged him over damage to her vehicle and officers allegedly found her garage remote in his possession.
Police said the 85-year-old woman returned to her convertible car in the underground car park at Marketown about 3pm on Sunday.
"It is alleged that while she was shopping, a male not known to her approached the vehicle where the soft-top was damaged, allowing the male to unlock the door and open it," Newcastle police said in a statement.
"An amount of damage was caused to the steering column surrounding the ignition and a garage door remote was stolen."
The woman confronted the man before informing centre security. The man left the complex onto Steel Street, where police arrested him without incident.
It is alleged a search of the man found a knife in the rear waistband of his pants, a bad containing a small screwdriver, property allegedly stolen from the shopping centre and the 85-year-old woman's garage remote.
The 24-year-old McCullys Gap man was taken to Newcastle police station and charged with offences including destroy or damage property, enter vehicle without consent, larceny, shoplifting, goods in custody reasonably suspected stolen, custody of knife in a public place, custody of an offensive implement in a public place and attempt take and drive conveyance without consent.
He will face Newcastle Local Court on Monday.
