Police have arrested three men and two youths following an investigation into a number of armed robberies in Sydney’s south-west.

Strike Force Repent was formed to investigate armed-robbery offences at Belmore, Bexley and Earlwood in December 2011 and January 2012. It comprises detectives from the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad and Campsie Local Area Command.

About 8am today (Wednesday 1 February 2012), police attended a residence in Perry Street, Campsie, and arrested a 17-year-old male.

He was taken to Campsie Police Station and charged with:

• Robbery whilst armed with dangerous weapon of a hotel in Canterbury Road, Belmore, on 9 December 2011;
• Attempted robbery whilst armed with dangerous weapon of a club in Woolcott Street, Earlwood, on 11 December 2011;
• Robbery whilst armed with dangerous weapon of a service station on Punchbowl Road, Belmore, on 24 December 2011;
• Robbery whilst armed with dangerous weapon of a hotel on Forest Road, Bexley, on 25 December 2011;
• Attempted robbery whilst armed of a club on Laycock Street, Bexley North, on 8 January 2012; and
• Participate in criminal group.

The youth was refused bail to appear in Parramatta Children’s Court today.

Also arrested this morning was a 19-year-old Lakemba man. He was charged with attempted robbery whilst armed of the club in Bexley North, as well as participate in criminal group and possess prohibited pistol.

He was refused bail to appear at Burwood Local Court today.

Over the past week, Strike Force Repent investigators have arrested three other people – a 27-year-old Wiley Park man, a 20-year-old Campsie man, and a 15-year-old youth from Wiley Park.

They are currently before the courts charged with similar offences.