‘Certainly a message’: Shots fired into barbershop near Westfield shopping centre in alleged Western Sydney crime spree

Police have claimed gunshots fired into a barbershop near a Westfield Shopping Centre in an alleged Western Sydney crime spree were “certainly a message to those owners”. Officers were patrolling the Rooty Hill area when they tried to stop a car on Willis Street just after 2am on Thursday. A pursuit was initiated when the car failed to stop, with the car later crashing into a parked car on the same street. The driver and passenger, both 17-year-old boys, weren’t injured in the crash and were arrested on scene. NSW Police Detective Superintendent Darrin Batchelor said two balaclavas, two guns and a jerry can of fuel were found during a search of the car. The teenagers were taken to Mount Druitt Police Station where they’re assisting with inquiries. However emergency services were called to a car fire about 2.10am at Football Drive in Bungarribee. The blaze was extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW and a crime scene was established. An investigation was launched into the fire. About 10 minutes after the fire police were called to the Westfield Shopping Centre in Mt Druitt following reports of a public place shooting. Police found several bullet holes in the window of the Universal Barbershop near the centre. The crime scene is set to be forensically examined by specialist police. Superintendent Batchelor confirmed police believe the three incidents are linked while addressing the media on Thursday morning. “Certainly the three events were known to police, if I can put it that way, within a 20 minute period,” Superintendent Batchelor said. “Just proactive policing, police out on the streets looking for offenders had cause to pull this vehicle over due to the manner of driving, which resulted in that short pursuit where they were removed from the car.” Superintendent Batchelor said police will allege the two teenagers in custody are responsible for the barber shop shooting. When asked whether the shooting could have been a result of a customer dispute, Superintendent Batchelor said it would be a “drastic way” to address issues of that nature. “What we’ve seen this morning with a number of shots fired into a barber shop — if that was the case, then those alleged shootings are a certainly drastic way to sort out any sort of customer related issues,” he said. “As we can see by the timings, 2am in the morning with no members of the public around, and certainly no employees in the business, it would indicate that it was certainly a message to those owners. “That message, I don’t know … we’ll try and get to the bottom of it.” The investigation remains ongoing. Police have urged anyone with information to come forward.

‘Certainly a message’: ​Shots fired into barbershop near Westfield shopping centre in alleged Western Sydney crime spree

‘Certainly a message’: Shots fired into barbershop near Westfield shopping centre in alleged Western Sydney crime spree