Police across the state's western region have executed 33 warrants during a week-long operation targeting people wanted on outstanding warrants.
The State Intelligence Command launched Operation Persistence in May this year and continues to work with police commands across the state to locate individuals wanted on outstanding warrants.
As part of the operation, between Monday 1 May 2023 and Friday 5 May 2023, officers attached to all seven Western Region police districts – with assistance from specialist units – proactively doorknocked and appealed to the public for assistance to locate wanted individuals.
The public appeal included photographs of wanted individuals posted daily on the Western Region Eyewatch pages.
The warrants related to offences including domestic violence, knife, property, traffic, break and enter, and assaults.
Arrests of note include:
- On Monday 1 May 2023, a 30-year-old man wanted on break and enter offences – alleged to have occurred at a quarry – was arrested at a home Brewarrina. The man was charged with break & enter house steal value less than or equal to $60,000 and enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse. He was refused bail to appear before Bourke Local Court on Thursday 22 June 2023.
- Around 3.30pm on Tuesday 2 May 2023, police attended a home on Denman Street, Bourke, conducting inquiries into a man wanted on three outstanding warrants all relating domestic violence (DV) offences. A 33-year-old man was arrested and taken to Bourke Police Station. He was brought before the court charged with aggravated break and enter & commit serious indictable offence, two counts of contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (DV), three counts of stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm (DV), three counts of common assault (DV), and destroy or damage property (DV).
- On Tuesday 28 March 2023, police executed a search warrant on a vacant property at Young Street, Lithgow, seizing a modified single shot firearm during the search. Following further inquiries, police arrested a 31-year-old man at a Bowenfells residence, around 1pm on Wednesday 3 May 2023. The man – who had two outstanding warrants for his arrest – was taken to Lithgow Police Station and charged with possess unauthorised prohibited firearm, acquire prohibited firearm-subject prohibition order and not keep firearm safely-prohibited firearm. He was bail refused and appeared at Mudgee Local Court on Thursday 4 May 2023; where was officially bail refused to appear before Lithgow Local Court on Thursday 11 May 2023.
Operation Commander, Assistant Commissioner Brett Greentree, said police will continue to target those outstanding offenders wanted on arrest warrants.
"Despite our week of action concluding, proactive policing continues 24 hours a day. If you do the wrong thing, you can expect a knock at your door," Assistant Commissioner Greentree said.
"I would like to thank the public for supporting our appeals and coming forward with information – either directly to use or via Crime Stoppers – as it's that information that helps us hold these people to account."
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
