Masked men allegedly invaded Sydney home, triggering hours-long siege

Four masked men, one believed to be armed with a gun, invaded a south-west Sydney home on Friday morning, police allege, triggering a siege operation that lasted for several hours and blocked off a residential street.

The four men are alleged to have stormed the property on Wollongbar Avenue, Panania just before 8am on Friday, assaulting a 24-year-old male occupant and stealing a large sum of cash.

Heavily armed police arrived at the scene after calls from neighbours, in addition to hostage negotiators, aerial support, and the dog unit. Police laid siege after the two occupants, which also included a 52-year-old female, were unable to confirm if the four men were still inside the property.

Police urged the public to avoid the area, as emergency vehicles were stationed on the street and front yards of neighbouring properties amid fears of a potential shoot-out.

Bankstown Police Area Commander Rodney Hart said it was determined “after some time” that the men were no longer in the house, leading to the siege ending at 11.30am.

He didn’t specify how the “aggressive, dangerous men” left the home, but said that the vehicle they were believed to arrive in - a dark sedan or station wagon - had left the scene before police arrived.

“Although this investigation is quite young, we are very confident at this stage that this was a targeted robbery,” Hart said. “An amount of cash has been stolen, we believe that’s what they were after.”

Police are now hunting the four men and appealed for assistance from the public.

Investigators suspected the man believed to be armed with a gun had links to bikie gangs, said a source not authorised to speak publicly.

Staff and children at an early learning centre on Wollongbar Avenue were among the community members affected by the police operation. Hart said staff activated safety protocols to ensure the safety of the children, describing their conduct as “outstanding”.

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