Police allege Craig David Batten, 37, Steven Varty, 38, and Craig McAllister, 34, drove down the coast in a stolen Holden Crewman ute fitted out with fake number plate before using a crowbar to break into the Optus store at North Wollongong just before 3.30am.

Once inside, police claim the trio went to separate areas of the store and began loading display items into grey garbage bags and putting them in the rear of the ute.

A witness who allegedly saw the break-in occurring phoned police, who arrived at the front of the Flinders Street store a few minutes later.

In documents before the court, police said they saw one of the men running from the building carrying items.

Meantime, Varty and the other man are accused of hiding from police at the rear of the building behind locked security doors.

Police had to use a crowbar to access the area and were in the process of arresting the other hidden man when an officer on the outside of the building allegedly noticed Varty trying to escape through a small window and apprehended him.

Police recovered all the missing items, allegedly discovering 76 electronic devices in the ute’s tray and back seat. The store later confirmed the value of the goods to be around $15,000.

The trio was taken to Wollongong Police Station, charged with aggravated break and enter and commit a serious indictable offence in company, and refused bail to appear in court on Tuesday.

Batten and McAllister, from Dulwich Hill and Ramsgate Beach respectively, did not apply for bail; Varty, from Jannali, did but it was denied.

The trio will return to court on August 26.