Kye Schaefer: Man charged in Coffs Harbour over robbery amid investigation into surfer’s stabbing death

Police investigating the stabbing death of 21-year-old Kye Schaefer in Coffs Harbour have charged a man with the armed robbery of a motorist near where the younger surfer was found fatally wounded.

The armed robbery reportedly happened around the same time and about a hundred metres from where Mr Schaefer was found dying of multiple stab wounds around 6.40am last Thursday.

Court documents obtained by The Coffs Coast Advocate allege the 36-year-old man threatened another man with a metal star picket at a car park near the Coffs Harbour Jetty — where both he and the victim were sleeping rough — on Thursday morning.

He then allegedly stole a fishing rod and reel and two six-packs of beer from another homeless man shortly after.

The 36-year-old was arrested later that day after he allegedly stole a $4000 e-bike from a shop in a nearby shopping centre.

Detectives from Strike Force Kooringaroo, which was set up to investigate the alleged murder of Mr Schaefer, charged the man with robbery while armed with an offensive weapon and larceny.

According to The Coffs Coast Advocate, the man appeared in Coffs Harbour Local Court the next day and was not required to enter any pleas in relation to the charges and did not apply for release.

He was formally refused bail and will reappear in the local court on June 25.

No one has been arrested or charged over Mr Schaefer’s death and the 36-year-old is not accused of any involvement in the incident.

The homicide investigation into the 21-year-old surfer’s stabbing death continues, with detectives appealing to the public for help to identify a man riding a bicycle in the area at the time of the incident.

Detectives are also appealing for witnesses or anyone who may have dashcam footage in the vicinity of the Coffs Harbour Surf Club and the Orlando Street area at the time of the incident.

Emergency services were called to Ocean Parade, Coffs Harbour at about 6.40am on May 2 following reports a man — later identified as Mr Schaefer — had been stabbed.

He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Coffs Harbour Base Hospital, where he died.

It is not clear how long Mr Schaefer, who had returned to the Coffs Harbour Surf Life Saving Club car park after a morning surf, had been injured before he was found.

The 21-year-old’s family have been left “broken” by the daylight tragedy, and have called for the government to do more to stop knife-related attacks.

Mr Schaefer’s uncle Ralph spoke to 2GB after the incident and recalled his nephew as a “lovely young man”.

“He definitely had a mischievous side to him. He loved to laugh, but more than anything else he just had a heart of gold, he really did,“ he said.

“A gentle, caring nature was his greatest asset. We’re just broken.”

Ralph pleased for tougher legislation, expressing frustration with the lack of strict laws addressing knife-related violence in NSW.

“I’m angry, obviously, at this alleged attacker, but I’m angry at politicians. How long do we have to wait here in NSW?” he said.

“He was just coming back from the surf, stabbed eight times. What on earth is going on?”

Ralph cited Queensland’s implementation of Jack’s Law — named after 17-year-old Jack Beasley, who was fatally stabbed in 2019 on the Gold Coast — which gave police powers to “wand” people in entertainment precincts and public transport.

Premier Chris Minns said he was looking at adopting the law in NSW after a spate of knife attacks across the state — including, recently, when police rushed to a Central Coast shopping centre after a teenage girl had brandishing a knife sent the centre into lockdown.