Regional Investigations Unit detectives have charged a man after an extensive investigation into a number of armed robberies and attempted armed robberies over the last two week period in the southern metropolitan area. The following incidents were being investigated as possibly linked:

– 31 May 2012 – A man entered a supermarket in Hamilton Hill armed with what was believed to be a blood filled syringe and demanded money. When the staff member refused to comply she was assaulted and the man ran from the store empty handed.

– 2 June 2012 – A man entered an adult store in Hamilton Hill armed with what was believed to be a blood filled syringe and demanded money. The staff member complied and the man left with an amount of cash.

– 3 June 2012 – A man entered a pharmacy in Coolbellup armed with what was believed to be a blood filled syringe and demanded money. The staff member complied and the man left with an amount of cash.

– 8 June 2012 – A man entered a newsagency in Hamilton Hill armed with a tyre lever. He threatened a staff member before running from the store with a drink he had taken.

– 8 June 2012 – A man entered a fast food outlet in Spearwood armed with a tyre lever and threatened a staff member. He left with an amount of cash.

– 9 June 2012 – A man entered a pharmacy in Applecross armed with what was believed to be a blood filled syringe demanding money and drugs. The staff member gave the man an amount of cash and he left the store.

– 10 June 2012 – A man entered a fast food outlet in South Lake armed with a tyre lever and threatened a staff member. The man was given an amount of cash and he left the store.

– 14 June 2012 – About 10:30am a man entered a bank in the Cockburn Gate Shopping Centre armed with a tyre lever. He demanded money but left the bank empty handed.

– 14 June 2012 – About 1:20pm a man entered a post office in Bibra Lake armed with a tyre lever and demanded money from a staff member. He left the store empty handed.

About 2:45pm yesterday afternoon officers from the Regional Investigations Unit, Fremantle Detectives and Dog Squad, along with support from the Police Air Wing, executed a search warrant on a residence on McCombe Avenue in Samson. A man was taken into custody, and a number of items of interest were seized.

A 36 year old man of no fixed address has been charged with six counts of Armed Robbery and three counts of Attempted Armed Robbery. He will appear in the Fremantle Magistrates Court today, Friday 15 June 2012.