A group of men accused of assaulting two women in separate “excessively violent” home invasions may have been on their way to target a third victim when they were arrested, NSW Police allege.

Sex crimes detectives have charged three men over the alleged attacks, which they claim specifically targeted women who were home alone in Sydney’s south-west.

Detective Superintendent Virginia Gorman said the first break-in occurred about midnight on Tuesday, when the trio allegedly threatened a 31-year-old woman in Arncliffe with a knife before sexually assaulting her and stealing  money.

The woman was treated in hospital for minor injuries.

Two nights later, about 12.30am, the same men are accused of breaking into a Bankstown home and assaulting a 32-year-old woman, who also required hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

“These men had done some research and they believed that these women might be home alone and they might have money on the premises … so they were specifically targeted,” Gorman told reporters in Sydney on Friday.

She said police investigating the first two incidents believed the alleged attackers were “on their way to target another person, potentially last night”, and would be investigating that further.

“We were very concerned about the level of violence, and we had to take the [alleged] offenders out as soon as possible.”

Gorman said the alleged attacks were “excessively violent for three men armed with a weapon against vulnerable women home alone”.

“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 for what they’ve done.”

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 was 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 in Bankstown Local Court on Friday via video link 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 Burwood Local Court on Friday afternoon.

“Physical injuries can be overcome easily,” 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.”

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)

National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

–with AAP