A group of men who allegedly broke into women's homes before violently assaulting, binding and threatening their victims were caught before committing a third attack, police allege.
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The men, aged between 18 and 20, allegedly targeted two women while they were home alone in two separate break-in attacks over a matter of days in Sydney.
The women, aged 31 and 32, were allegedly bound with duct tape, threatened with a knife and assaulted. It's alleged one of the women was sexually assaulted.
Police said they responded to two reports of home invasions, one in Arncliffe about midnight on Tuesday and a second about 12.30am on Thursday in Bankstown.
Detective Superintendent Virginia Gorman said the men had researched the women's movements and knew they would be alone and vulnerable on the nights of the alleged attacks.
A separate investigation is underway regarding a possible third attack planned by the men.
"We believe that they were on their way to target another person, potentially last night," Det Supt Gorman told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
"We'll be further investigating that matter, even though there haven't been charges laid."
Police allege the trio forced their way into the Arncliffe property before threatening a 31-year-old woman with a knife, sexually assaulting her and taking off with her money.
The woman was treated in hospital for minor injuries.
Just two nights later, the same men forced entry into a Bankstown home and allegedly assaulted a 32-year-old woman.
The woman was also taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Det Supt Gorman described the alleged attacks as "very violent".
"Excessively violent for three men armed with a weapon against vulnerable women home alone," she said.
"They were armed with a knife. They used duct tape to restrain them. They had duct tape over their mouth.
"They assaulted the women, punching a woman. You don't need to do that to overcome a solo female.
"The violence was over the top."
Detectives executed three search warrants across greater Sydney about 7.45pm on Thursday with assistance from the riot squad.
Officers arrested a 20-year-old man in Belmore and charged him with a slew of offences, including two counts of choking someone, depriving someone of liberty, assault and aggravated robbery.
In Punchbowl, 19-year-old Arman Nangyal was arrested and charged with offences including two counts of choking a person, aggravated sex assault, aggravated break and enter, robbery, use of an offensive weapon and other offences.
He appeared briefly in a grey singlet on Friday via video link in Bankstown Local Court, where no application for bail was made.
His matter was sent to Burwood court for next mention on November 18.
An 18-year-old, Adam Fakhouri, was arrested in Greenacre and charged with two counts of choking a person, aggravated break and enter, and deprivation of liberty among other offences.
He did not appear in Bankstown Local Court and made no application for bail.
His matter will travel with the co-accused to Burwood Local Court.
The 20-year-old accused was also due to face the Burwood court on Friday afternoon.
"Physical injuries can be overcome easily," Det Supt Gorman said.
"It's the mental injuries of having a person invade your home and do that kind of violence, that would be a long time for them to recover from."
Domestic violence advocate and Australian Femicide Watch founder Sherele Moody said violence against women committed by strangers can be deemed by police as more of a priority or more of a concern to the public.
"Stranger violence is much less likely to happen and the reality is women are more likely to be harmed by men known to them in their home, in their workplaces or in their communities," she told AAP.
"We have widespread violence against women in Australia and we have governments not responding at the rates they should and the responses are reactionary and not preventative."
Ms Moody said research shows harsher sentences don't reduce violence.
"What we need is a focus on prevention. Prevention is the best cure."
Recent incidents involving violence against women were shocking and unacceptable, NSW Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said.
"Women should feel safe anywhere, especially in their own homes and in public spaces," she said in a statement.
"We continue to look at ways that we can improve women's safety and hold perpetrators accountable."
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