Two men will remain in custody after they allegedly committed two armed robberies at Lake Illawarra.
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Jake Nicholas John Hall, 25, and Drazsic Wheatley, 19, made brief appearances in Wollongong Local Court on Friday where they did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.
Police documents tendered to court allege Hall and Wheatley went into the Flinders Friendly Grocer on Wattle Road shortly before 7.30pm on Wednesday, both armed with small axes, threatened the attendant and stole cash from the register.
Shortly before 10pm the same night, the men allegedly went into Pizza Hut on College Avenue, Shellharbour, both still armed with the axes, and stole $300 from the cash register after threatening the shop assistant.
Detectives commenced an investigation into both incidents that are believed to be linked.
Hall was arrested after police stopped a car at Albion Park about 10.30am on Thursday.
He was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station and a search warrant was carried out at his Albion Park home where an axe, cash and clothing relevant to the investigation were seized.
After further investigations, police attended a unit on Leamington Road, Oak Flats, about 6.25pm on Thursday, where they arrested Wheatley.
The men were both charged with two counts of robbery armed with an offensive weapon.
The men have also been charged with detaining a person in company with an intent to obtain an advantage occasioning actual bodily harm, as well as receiving stolen property.
Police allege the men detained a man at a Tullimbar home about 5pm on November 8 before stealing his Xbox One and assaulting him.
Documents tendered to court allege a third man was also involved.
Hall and Wheatley also allegedly disposed of the stolen Xbox One two days later.
Police further allege Hall made a false or misleading statement to police that same day.
The men will return to court on November 24.
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