HI-TECH thieves with metal detectors and industrial grinders are hitting homes in Sydney's wealthy suburbs,

HI-TECH thieves with metal detectors and industrial grinders are hitting homes in Sydney's wealthy suburbs, searching out hidden wall safes then ransacking them.

Residents said up to 45 homes from Wahroonga to St Ives were targeted by the well-organised crews over the past few months.

The gang or gangs break into houses during daylight hours and rob safes of expensive jewellery and in some cases cash. More than $50,000 was netted in one robbery.

Police yesterday confirmed a specialist taskforce has been set up to investigate the robberies, which all appear to have been carried out in a similar fashion.

"There have been numerous incidents in the area which appear to be related, yes, and we've got some officers designated to looking into that," a police spokesman said.



One victim said police had told him they believed the gang was using metal detectors to locate safes hidden behind walls or other items within houses.

Once the safe has been located, the thieves then grind off the doors to gain access to the valuables.

"They [the police] are also looking at the possibility there are two different gangs of thieves," the victim said.

"In some cases people are finding their homes in disarray, the safe door grinded off and a lot of damage done to the house."

While police try to tackle the elusive gang, one St Ives local has taken matters into his own hands, distributing an anonymous flyer in letterboxes warning people of the spate of thefts.

The letter details how the writer's family fell victim to the gang, arriving home to find their home ransacked and the safe emptied.

"Beware of this," the anonymous letter says.

"Someone must know something, or must have seen something."

A canvass of the suburb, and those close by, revealed up to 45 homes had been targeted in a similar fashion since March this year.

While not all homes had had safes targeted, the method of entry was similar, with thieves forcing window locks in the majority of cases.

Three thieves ambushed the Chubb security guard and his colleagues as they made an early-morning cash drop to a hotel on Sussex St on June 7 last year.

MURDERS don't come much more cold-blooded than the slaying of Gary Allibon.

Three thieves ambushed the Chubb security guard and his colleagues as they made an early-morning cash drop to a hotel on Sussex St on June 7 last year.

Mr Allibon, who had already been the victim of one armed robbery, handed over the cash, turned away from his attackers and walked towards the hotel.

That should have been the end of it.

But inexplicably one of the thieves shot the 59-year-old guard in the back. He then walked over to the critically injured man, stole his pistol and left him for dead.

Yesterday Mr Allibon's widow Monica returned to the scene of the crime to urge witnesses to come forward.

She was there as officers from Strike Force Lorimer released new surveillance footage of the gang's stolen silver Audi S8 and the robbery.

The footage shows the car travelling north across the Harbour Bridge before having a minor accident while making a U-turn in pursuit of the armoured van.

"It's the most cold, ugly thing to do to anybody," an emotional Mrs Allibon said.

"It was cold-blooded murder."

But recent arrests over other unrelated high-profile murder cases have given her hope for a breakthrough.

"I've never given up," she said.

Nevertheless, the pain endures.

"Eleven months later, every day is still confronting. We were very close and very much together," Mrs Allibon said.

Three men were in custody Wednesday charged in connection with a string of armed robberies at convenience and cellular phone stores in Pitt County

Three men were in custody Wednesday charged in connection with a string of armed robberies at convenience and cellular phone stores in Pitt County, authorities said.

James Arthur Acklin Jr., 19, of 2821 Best Road, Greenville, was charged Wedensday with multiple counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping, and a count of second-degree trespassing, jail records indicated.

He was held at the Pitt County Detention Center on a $500,500 secured bond, jail officials said.

Julius Deshawn Hobbs, 21, of 2703 Webb St., was charged Wednesday with robbery with a dangerous weapon and nonsupport of a child. His bond was set at $251,382, jail records stated.

Also in custody was Marquail Earl Mouring, 21, of 708 McDowell St. He faces a charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was held Wednesday on a $50,000 secured bond.

Acklin and Mouring were previously out on bond for the Nov. 11, 2010 armed robbery of the Wingate Inn on South Memorial Drive, according to Greenville police.

The men have been connected to numerous hold-ups at Kangaroo Express convenience stores and U.S. Cellular locations in Greenville, Ayden, Winterville and other parts of the county, authorities said.

More than 15 armed robberies have been reported in April; at least eight were at the Kangaroo and U.S. Cellular locations in Greenville and Pitt County.

The most recent heist occurred at 9 p.m. Tuesday, when masked gunman stole $1,080 from the U.S. Cellular store at 205 S.W. Greenville Blvd., police reports indicated.

Information gathered by the city's Crime Analysis Unit, and through interviews, surveillance and directed patrols near cellular stores around the boulevard aided officers, who quickly saturated the area and were able to identify key witnesses to the robbery, police said in a news release issued early Wednesday.

The suspects were detained following a traffic stop by Sheriff Neil Elks and his wife, Greenville police Detective Connie Elks, who has been working on the case with Sheriff's Detective Walt Stancil. The Elks' were in the car together when the stop was made.

Investigators searched the vehicle and an apartment at the Landing apartment complex along Charles Boulevard and found a handgun and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The gun, a revolver, appears to be the same weapon that had been used in previous armed robberies based on video evidence, police said.