Newcastle police release CCTV after armed hotel robbery

Police in Newcastle have released CCTV footage as part of an investigation into an armed robbery and assault at a hotel on Union Street in Cooks Hill. The incident occurred around 4:00 am on Wednesday, February 28.

During the robbery, two men armed with a machete and a baseball bat allegedly threatened and detained a 50-year-old manager, forcing him to open the hotel doors. A third man, waiting in a vehicle outside, allegedly assaulted a 68-year-old cleaner. The cleaner was found unconscious by responders and was hospitalized in serious condition, while the manager remained uninjured.

The suspects fled the scene with cash. Detectives are seeking information regarding a white Mercedes-Benz A190 hatchback with damage to the rear left passenger door. They have also released descriptions of a man wearing a hooded jumper, baseball cap, tracksuit pants, and black shoes with a distinctive white mark on the right shoe. Two men, aged 32 and 37, have been charged in connection with the incident.