Mr. Salameh first raised suspicions when off-duty Senior Constable Michael Tillman asked him why he was trying to break into a car. Mr. Salameh then allegedly lunged at the officer brandishing what appeared to be a chisel. He fled the scene before boarding a bus which had been forced to stop in slow moving traffic. He ordered the driver to disembark telling the passengers to remain in their seats. Mr. Salameh was however unable to start the bus and was foiled in his getaway.

Arriving at the scene Senior Constable Michael Tillman was once again threatened with the chisel before Mr. Salameh fled. Although police lost track of him after he was spotted making his way through the Westfield shopping centre in Parramatta with no shirt on he was later placed under arrest following a phone call from a member of the public claiming that there was a strange man hiding in their garage.

When Mr. Salameh was taken into custody it was discovered that his bum-bag contained a pair of scissors, a knife and a screwdriver as well as a chisel.

Magistrate Vivien Swain has refused Mr. Salameh bail, even though he has not asked for it, and described him as a dangerous threat to the community.