Two Illawarra men will remain behind bars until at least March after being refused bail accused of breaking into a mechanic’s shop at Port Kembla.
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Police allegedly caught Jason Scott Rankin and Caden Macpherson “in the act” after discovering the pair hidden inside the roof of a spray paint booth at the site in the early hours of January 22.
It is alleged the pair broke into Nots Smash Repairs on Shellharbour Road sometime just before 4am – 14 hours after the owner had locked and secured the site for the weekend.
The pair allegedly smashed the lock off the door to gain entry to the building.
In doing so, they triggered the alarm.
The shop owner told police he received a text message at 3.54am alerting him to an alarm activation.
He immediately drove to the site, at which time he said he saw the lights inside the building were on and he could hear banging coming from inside.
Believing the culprits were most probably still be inside, the man called police, saying “my workshop’s been broken into and there is still someone inside”.
Police arrived at the site within a couple of minutes and surrounded the building before storming inside.
A subsequent search allegedly located Rankin and Macpherson in the roof of the spray paint booth.
It is alleged Rankin attempted to push a senior constable who tried to apprehend him, causing the officer stumble backwards, almost falling off the booth onto the ground below.
The pair was eventually restrained and arrested.
They were taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station where they were charged with break and enter and commit serious indictable offence, police assault and resisting arrest.
Macpherson did not apply for bail in Wollongong Local Court on Monday.
Rankin made a bail application however it was refused by Magistrate Michael Stoddart, who noted the prosecution case against him appeared a strong one.
“He does have a number of other matters on his record,” Magistrate Stoddart said.
Both men will front court again in March.