A MAN who caused a large part of South Nowra into lockdown on Friday afternoon following a police pursuit and later evaded officers was captured on Friday evening.
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Thirty-year-old Joshua Duke, who was declared armed and dangerous, was the centre of a statewide alert earlier in the week after he managed to evade officers in a separate car chase through the South Nowra area.
On Friday a large section of the South Nowra area, bordered by the Princes Highway, Flinders Road, Albatross Road and the housing area in and around Elyard Drive at South Nowra was cordoned off by police after Duke crashed an allegedly stolen four-wheel-drive following a police pursuit that started in East Nowra.
Duke evaded police in bushland, despite an aerial search by the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter and ground searches by numerous officers including the dog squad in 40-degree heat.
A member of the public alerted police to his whereabouts after spotting him in Hollands Road, South Nowra at about 6:30pm Friday evening.
He was arrested after a foot pursuit and vicious wrestle during which two police sustained minor injuries.
He was transported to Nowra station in a very agitated state for questioning.
Duke had been wanted on four outstanding warrants for break and enter and stealing offences in South Nowra and Windsor.
Police also sought to speak with him over three armed robbery offences allegedly committed in the Shoalhaven, Lake Illawarra and Far South Coast Local Area Commands.
In addition, he was wanted for questioning on two other traffic-related incidents.
He was charged with three counts of robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon, two counts of not stopping after a police pursuit, and resist and assault police.
Duke appeared before a special sitting of Nowra Local Court on Saturday. He was refused bail and will reappear in court in Nowra today.