Police stand outside a house that was involved in pre-dawn raids in the western Sydney suburb
Police stand outside a house that was involved in pre-dawn raids in the western Sydney suburb of Guilford September 18, 2014. More than 800 police were involved in the pre-dawn raids, described as the largest in Australian history, with at least 15 people detained. Australian police will allege that members of a group targeted in the sweeping counter-terrorism operation on Thursday planned to behead a random member of the public after draping the victim in the flag of Islamic State militants, Australia media reported. Without referring to specifics, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Australia was at "serious risk from a terrorist attack". Reuters

A gang of robbers tried robbing a bank in Sydney's west. The people whom the robbers held as hostages included a pregnant woman.

The armed robbers stormed the Commonwealth Bank on Waldron Road in Chester Hill. ABC News reported that the bank employees whom the robbers threatened included a pregnant woman. She was among other employees who were inside the bank when the robbery took place. Her mother, who did not want to be named, said that her daughter had called her to inform her about the robbery. The mother rushed to the bank soon after she heard the news.

The mother said that the robbery affected her daughter on the emotional level. "She was very shaken, very very shaken and emotional," ABC quoted her, "She's pregnant and I was really worried about her and the baby... but they're OK." The mother said that her daughter had wanted her to know that she was alright. The mother went to the bank anyway to make sure she was alright. She said that knowing that your daughter could be killed instantly was the worst feeling.

The attempt to rob the bank was, however, not successful. The gang of robbers entered the bank at 10:40 a.m. When they became unsuccessful in robbing the bank, they moved to the Rosnay Golf Club at Auburn. They threatened the staff there with a hammer and guns as they demanded money. The blue car that the suspects ran away in was driven by a fourth man. Local police officers, who spotted the robbers, tried chasing them. However, the chase was called off when the police car collided with another car head-on at Villawood.

The Fairfield community has been locked down while officers are looking for suspects, who have apparently run away in a blue car. The suspects reportedly attempted hijacking other cars, according to police. They ended up in Hercules Street where they apparently ran through one house and jumped over a fence. The residents in the locality were evacuated by heavily armed officers who surrounded the region. Some residents were alarmed.

Sky News reported that people were advised to be careful in the suburb as the armed robbers were on the run. People are advised to avoid Fairfield East, especially Tangerine Street. Paramedics attended to people who suffered shock during the incident.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au