Detectives have charged four men after a truck driver was allegedly robbed, assaulted and shot twice in the leg, near Lithgow earlier this year.
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Three men, all from Sydney, aged 30, 28 and 23 appeared in Campbelltown Local Court on Thursday where they were formally refused bail to reappear on Wednesday December 9, 2020, via audio visual linkup.
The fourth man, aged 29 was due to appear in Wollongong Local Court via audio visual linkup on Friday.
Detectives began their investigations following reports a truck driver had been shot at Mt Lambie on September 29.
Police were told that the truck driver - a 42-year-old Western Australian man - had been sleeping in the vehicle, when a group of unknown men forced entry to the cabin.
The men allegedly assaulted the truck driver, dragged him from the vehicle and shot him twice in his right upper thigh and right foot.
The group then stole personal items - including a large quantity of cash - from the truck, before fleeing the area in other vehicles.
The truck driver was treated at the scene by paramedics, before being taken to Lithgow Hospital. He was then airlifted to Westmead Hospital, where he underwent surgery and has since been released.
Officers from Chifley Police District commenced inquiries into the incident, before detectives from the State Crime Command's Criminal Groups Squad took carriage of the investigation under Strike Force Hathern.
Following extensive inquires and a public appeal for information, strike force detectives executed a crime scene warrant at a property at Luddenham and six search warrants at homes at Campbelltown, Ambarvale, Wollongong, Bradbury and Mount Annan on Thursday.
During the searches, investigators seized mobile phones, electronic storage devices and two vehicles which will undergo forensic examination.
A 30-year-old man was arrested at a home in Smeaton Grange, along with a 28-year-old Campbelltown man and a 23-year-old Bradbury man.
A 29-year-old man was also arrested at Wollongong.
The men were all charged with kidnap in company with intent to commit serious indictable occasion actual bodily harm, robbery in company cause wounding/grievous bodily harm, discharge firearm intend cause grievous bodily harm, and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.
