POLICE yesterday lashed out at rubbernecks in Macquarie Fields who were “bringing armchairs to sit in the street and watch the spectacle” in the strife-torn southwestern Sydney suburb.

Commissioner Ken Moroney blamed onlookers for treating the riots as “reality TV” and making it harder to catch rock-throwers, who were using the residents as cover.

“This is real life being played out in front of you. It’s not on TV,” Mr Moroney told The Australian.

The officer in charge of quelling the riots that have raged for four nights, Assistant Commissioner Dave Madden, said the presence of the media and onlookers “encourages young people who want to show off”.

The riots started on Friday after two youths — Dylan Raywood, 17, and Matthew Robertson, 19 — were killed when the stolen car they were in overturned during a police chase and hit a tree. The driver of the car fled the scene.

The suspected driver, 20-year-old Jesse Kelly, reported to a police station less than a day after the crash, but was set free, Mr Moroney admitted yesterday.

“An operational decision was made to allow the driver of the vehicle to go free. We had to firmly establish … that this individual was the driver,” he said.

Macquarie Fields Local Area Commander Superintendent John Sweeney pleaded yesterday with residents to help police in their hunt for Mr Kelly.

Mr Moroney rejected the idea that the riots were caused by social disadvantage, saying he had grown up on a housing estate.

“It’s about personal choices. It’s about life choices. If you can live on a housing commission estate and aspire to be the prime minister of Australia, that’s a life choice,” he said.

Nineteen people were arrested during the fourth night of rioting on Monday. A number faced Campbelltown Local Court yesterday charged with various offences and most were refused bail.

Eighteen-year-old Shannon Wilkie, who lived with one of the dead teenagers, was granted bail on compassionate grounds to enable him to attend their funerals.

Opinion — Page 13