🔪 Men Charged After Harris Park Carjacking, Wild Regional Chase

Two men are facing charges following an alleged carjacking in Harris Park and a subsequent police pursuit that ended more than 300 kilometres away in Cootamundra. The investigation was initiated by officers from Cumberland Police Area Command, which covers suburbs including Auburn, underscoring the regional reach of local law enforcement operations.

The incident unfolded around 11 pm on Sunday, 5 October 2025, when a 47-year-old ride-share driver was allegedly threatened by two men, one armed with a knife, while parked on Albion Street, Harris Park. The perpetrators then reportedly stole the man's grey Toyota Yaris.

The following morning, Monday, 6 October 2025, police allege the men drove to a service station along the Hume Highway in Goulburn, where they filled the stolen vehicle with fuel and departed without making payment. Approximately an hour later, the vehicle was sighted southbound on the Hume Highway near Bookham by the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command. The Hume Highway is a vital interstate route connecting Sydney and Melbourne. Bookham itself was bypassed by the upgraded Hume Highway in 1998, which split the town and altered local access.

A pursuit was initiated but soon terminated for safety reasons. It is alleged the men then performed a U-turn on the Hume Highway at Coolac, leading to a second pursuit. Coolac, like Bookham, is a small town along the historic Hume Highway route. The chase continued to Rodeo Drive, Cootamundra, where the vehicle allegedly drove through a gate before becoming wedged in a culvert. Rodeo Drive is notably the location of the Cootamundra Rodeo Grounds, suggesting a rural or semi-rural setting for the conclusion of the pursuit.

Following a foot pursuit, the driver, an 18-year-old man, and a 21-year-old male passenger were arrested by officers. Police further allege that the men alternated driving the vehicle despite neither holding a current driver’s licence. While specific charges for each individual were not detailed in the police report, both men were taken to Cootamundra Police Station and subsequently charged with offences related to the incident. They were refused bail and appeared before Bail Division Court on Tuesday, 7 October 2025. They have been remanded in custody, with the older man due to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Thursday, 4 December 2025, and the younger man on Monday, 8 December 2025. No injuries were reported from the incident. Data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) indicates that motor vehicle theft, as a broader category, has remained stable over the ten years to March 2025 across NSW.