Six more people have been charged over a series of aggravated break, enter and steal offences on eight pubs and clubs in Lake Illawarra, Wollongong, Shoalhaven and the Southern Highlands.

Five men aged 34, 56, 26, 21 and 34, and one woman aged 20, have been charged by police as part of Strike Force Fadden.

The arrests follow an investigation by detectives attached to Strike Force Fadden, which was established in March this year following an aggravated break, enter and steal offence at a club in Dapto on January 30 this year.

It is alleged a number of offenders smashed the rear doors of the club, removed a cigarette machine from its mounting, dragged it out of the premises and loaded it into a stolen van which was driven away.

However, following further inquiries by Lake Illawarra LAC Proactive Crime team and detectives, Strike Force Fadden was broadened to investigate similar offences at another seven hotels and clubs in neighbouring Shoalhaven, Wollongong and the Southern Highlands districts.

Police will allege a total of eight licensed premises had been targeted in 12 months.

All the offences took place between March 2010 and March 2011, in the very early hours of the morning after the pubs and clubs had closed.

In each incident masked offenders entered the hotels or clubs by forcing or smashing the doors open, then bringing in their own trolley to load up ATMs, cigarette machines and bottles of spirits from behind the bar.

In every incident, the stolen property was loaded in a stolen vehicle which was later found abandoned and burnt out.

The alleged break and enter offences took place at:

· A Sutton Forest hotel on 17 March, 2010
· A Dapto club on January 30, 2011
· A Scarborough hotel on February 3, 2011
· A Bulli club on February 17, 2011
· A Scarborough club February 17, 2011
· An Albion Park hotel on February 28, 2011
· A Berry hotel on March 9, 2011
· A St Georges Basin hotel on March 17, 2011

About 8pm, Monday 13 June a 34-year-old Albion Park man was arrested and charged with 22 offences including eight aggravated break, enter and steal offences, one participate in a criminal group offence and five disqualified driving offences. He was refused bail to appear in Wollongong Local Court on 14 June. He is due to reappear on 27 July 2011.

About 2pm, Thursday 23 June a 21-year-old Blackbutt man was arrested and charged with aggravated break, enter and steal – in company, accessory after the fact to actual offence at Sutton Forest Inn on 17 March, 2010. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Port Kembla Local Court on 10 August 2011.

The 56-year-old man from Warrawong has been charged with aggravated break, enter and steal – in company and participate in criminal group assist in criminal activity. He has been refused bail to appear in Wollongong Local Court today.

The 20-year-old woman from Blackbutt has been charged with knowingly deal in proceeds of crime and receive/dispose stolen property. She has been granted conditional bail to appear in Wollongong Local court on 12 July, 2011.

A 26-year-old man from Koonawarra has been charged in relation to the aggravated break, enter and steal at Sutton Forest Inn on 17 March, 2010. He was issued with a Future Court Attendance Notice to appear in Court at a later date.

A 34-year-old man from Albion Park arrested and charged with aggravated break, enter and steal – in company, accessory after the fact to actual offence at Sutton Forest Inn on 17 March, 2010. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Wollongong Local Court on 12 July 2011.

Two brothers, aged 32 and 22, were charged with numerous offences and appeared in Wollongong Local Court on 9 June, 2011. They are due to reappear on 29 June 2011 and 27 July 2011.