THREE men charged over an alleged crime spree that included assaulting a 72-year-old man at Valentine and threatening a woman with a knife during a break-in at Tingira Heights have been refused bail in Belmont Local Court.
The trio, Kahn Bulbert, 31, Jonathan Michael Hardy, 44, and Mark Gibson, 25, appeared in court on Friday charged with a string of offences after a series of robberies and break-ins around Lake Macquarie on Thursday.
Mr Bulbert is charged with 28 offences, including multiple aggravated break-ins, robberies and stealing motor vehicles.
Mr Hardy was charged with 13 offences, including four break and enters and aggravated assault with intent to rob.
The three men all made failed bids for bail and the matters were adjourned until November.
Police said they were called to a service station on Macquarie Road at Valentine about 6am on Thursday after reports three men had attempted to steal a car before assaulting a 72-year-old man.
A short time later, police got a call to say a woman, 22, had been assaulted and threatened by three men - one armed with a knife - during a break-in on Violet Town Road at Tingira Heights.
About 9am, Lake Macquarie police tried to stop a car - believed to have been stolen from Marks Point earlier that day - at a shopping centre at Mount Hutton.
After a short foot pursuit, Mr Gibson and Mr Hardy were arrested.
Following investigations, Mr Bulbert was arrested at Eleebana later on Thursday.
