Around 3pm on Wednesday, April 1, Dungog police received a call for assistance from a stranded family of six somewhere in the Chichester State Forest or Barrington Tops National Park.

The initial location provided to the triple 0 operator was “Chichester Pine Forest, near Allyn River, Girvan”.

As you could imagine that is virtually three different locations spread across three separate policing sectors.

A GPS co-ordinate was provided and assistance provided by police radio and National Park and Wildlife Service (NPWS) plotting the missing family along Skimmings Gap Road.

Numerous patrols were conducted of Skimmings Gap Road, Frying Pan and Middle Ridge without success.

About 5:37pm another triple 0 call was made, on this occasion the location was provided as “10km from Upper Allyn Lookout, follow track for 10mins, past fallen tree for a further 10mins”.

A further GPS co-ordinate was supplied plotting the family around the Burraga Swamp area of the Barrington Tops National Park.

Assistance was provided from Dungog NPWS staff where police and NPWS swept a significant amount of known roads and unnamed trails off Paterson River Forest Road.

The Westpac Helicopter had been deployed from Newcastle base however prior to their arrival the family was located on Lumeah Forest Road around 8.30pm.

The vehicle was in a difficult position and as such they were removed from the area and taken to East Gresford police station where accommodation arrangements were made for the evening.

Money stolen from tins

On Wednesday, April 1 Dungog police attended Clarence Town Bowling Club and spoke with the general manager who reported that staff had located three charity tins that had been forced open and the monies stolen.

Upon review of the CCTV by club staff and police, they identified a 16 year-old-male from Stockton who had been attending the club with a family member. The teenager is assisting police with their enquiries.

Stolen meat

On Wednesday, March 25 a 74-year-old man has entered the IGA supermarket in Dungog and stolen products from the meat section of the store.

Staff were aware this had happened on previous occasions and were monitoring the man’s movements. A review of the CCTV revealed three separate occasions where items were taken without payment.

The man was spoken to by police and subsequently charged with shoplifting.

Drug charges

On Tuesday, October 28 last year, detectives from State Crime Command Gangs Squad participated in a joint operation with police from Port Stephens Local Area Command and executed two search warrants in Dungog.

As a result of their investigation a female has been charged with a number of supply prohibited drug charges on Monday, April 6.

A 41-year-old male is currently wanted by police for the service of a number of drug supply charges including ongoing supply.

A number of persons also involved in the sale, purchase and distribution are currently being assessed where it is likely further charges will be laid.

Cannabis plant

On Wednesday, April 1, police attended a home in Dungog after receiving information regarding cannabis plants being grown in the rear yard.

Police attended and sighted the plants, the plants were seized by police and a 59-year-old man has been charged with cultivate prohibited plant.

No licence to drive

On Thursday, April 9, police observed a 32-year-old female driving in Dowling Street, Dungog.

Police were aware this driver was the holder of NSW learner driver licence.

The woman was stopped by police, and as she was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was subsequently issued with a $796 traffic infringement notice for learner unaccompanied.

Dried cannabis leaf

On Saturday, April 11, Dungog police attended a property at Bendolba where they recovered nearly 2 kilograms of dried cannabis leaf being stored in a shed at the rear of a property.

Police attended and spoke to a male responsible for the property. He was interviewed and admitted to the ownership of the cannabis.

The man informed police it was for medicinal purposes only.

The cannabis was seized and the man was issued with a court attendance notice for Dungog Local Court on May 13 for drug charges.

Difficult rescue

On the afternoon of Saturday, April 11, paramedics and police from Dungog alongside Dungog Fire and Rescue and the Rural Fire Service responded to a 42-year-old female who had fallen off her horse in remote section of a property at Main Creek.

The woman had a severely broken arm and elbow and was stablised by paramedics before being carried out on a stokes litter by emergency services. The patient was transported to John Hunter Hospital.

Number of charges

Late on the evening of Friday, April 10, a 45-year-old female was visiting a friend at Munni.

When she went to leave her vehicle was found to have two flat tyres and the spare tyre was also missing.

The victim made arrangements with Davey and Olsen NRMA to have the vehicle towed back into Dungog.

The following morning the victim and her friend observed a hat on a timber post out the front of the house. The hat believed to belong to her former partner.

The vehicle was towed to Davey and Olsen and the matter reported to police.

It was established the vehicle's tyres were not punctured, someone had deflated the two tyres by pushing the valves in.

Investigations by Dungog police revealed the 48-year-old ex-partner had reported two separate reports to the Police Assistance Line indicating his hat and other items had been stolen from his vehicle in Dungog on the Thursday, April 9.

The male was arrested by police after he attended Dungog Police Station after being interviewed over the matter.

He has been charged with malicious damage, stealing, stalking and public mischief.

Police also applied for and were granted an urgent apprehended domestic violence order which was served on the male.

The charges are before Dungog Local Court on May 13.