A 47-year-old man is arrested in Camperdown yesterday. (Photo: NSW Police)

‘Armed robber’ is arrested after 18 years

A man was dramatically arrested yesterday for an armed robbery that took place almost two decades ago.

Police descended on a property in Camperdown, in Sydney’s Inner West, on Thursday morning, following a historic investigation into robberies in 2001 and 2014.

A 47-year-old man was handcuffed and charged with two counts of robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon and shooting at a person with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.

Detectives claim the man used the same firearm during both robberies.

In the first incident on 25 October 2001, two men, entered a jewellery store on Karalta Road, Erina, on the Central Coast, and fled with money and jewellery after threatening staff.

After fleeing, one of the men fired a shot at an off-duty police officer who was giving chase on foot. The men were last seen getting into a blue Holden Commodore sedan, being driven by a third party.

In a similar incident, on 27 September 2014 just after midnight, two men – armed with a handgun and knife – entered a licensed premise on the corner of East Market and Windsor streets, Richmond, in western Sydney.

They threatened a staff member before stealing cash and driving off in a Holden Commodore sedan.

Both incidents were believed to be linked, and detectives from State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad recently began an investigation into the crimes, leading to the arrest of the 47-year-old.

The Glebe man was refused bail to appear at Newtown Local Court today.

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