A Wests Tigers youth footballer is among three men charged with armed robbery after a spate of petrol station raids this month.
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Charlton Schaafhausen, of Chipping Norton, has been accused with fellow 18-year-olds Mark Tuala and Alonzo Faaoloii of 12 armed robberies between October 7 and last Wednesday.
The alleged offences all occurred the early morning at petrol stations in suburbs including Campbelltown, Minto, Bonnyrigg, Cabramatta and Green Valley. In each case the three accused men wore balaclavas and carried crowbars.
In response to the offences NSW Police launched Strike Force Abase and arrested the trio on Friday morning as they approached a 7/11 petrol station in Casula.
The teenagers had crowbars and a replica handgun and police allege the trio were about to rob the service station.
When interviewed by police, the three men allegedly made admissions of guilt and identified themselves on allegedly incriminating CCTV footage.
Search warrants executed on the men's homes allegedly resulted in seizures by police.
Parramatta Bail Court heard on Saturday Mr Schaafhausen, a renderer, had no criminal record and had recently been selected to play for the Wests Tigers NRL team.
Magistrate John Bailey refused bail, stating the gravity of the offences and overwhelmingly strong prosecution case made prison time a near certainty.
Mr Schaafhausen will remain in custody to appear at Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday.
Mr Tuala and Mr Faaoloii did not apply for bail and will appear on the same day.
