Police Transport Command officers have arrested and charged over two hundred of Sydney's violent public transport offenders under Operation Waratah.
Operation Waratah was established in July 2024 by officers attached to Police Transport Command to target offenders involved in serious violent crimes including assaults, robberies and sexual touching incidents on Sydney public transport network.
During the operation, over 200 police saturated the public transport network and – with assistance from specialist police – executed multiple search warrants and Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) compliance checks across Sydney.
As a result of the searches, police seized shotgun ammunition, a large amount of prohibited drugs, and 23 knives.
Operation Waratah officers arrested 227 people resulting in 406 charges being laid for multiple offences including domestic violence, assault, theft, sexual touching, drug and weapon offences.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty, Police Transport and Public Safety Commander, wants this operation to serve as a warning to any future public transport offenders.
"This is the first Operation Waratah, but it won't be the last. We intend to use the full power of the NSW Police to continue to crackdown on violent crimes across our public transport network.
"I am incredibly proud of the officers involved in this operation. They have made Sydney significantly safer and have brought some peace of mind to the many victims of these alleged offenders." Assistant Commissioner Hegarty said.
"We plan to continue to run this operation, so for any would be offenders this first operation serves as a warning. If you are thinking about commit any crime in Sydney's transport network. Don't or police will find you, charge you and put you before the court."
Incident of note include:
- About 3.55pm Tuesday 1 August 2023, police were called to a bus stop on Argyle Street, Parramatta, following reports of an assault. Officers arrived and were told a man and woman allegedly assaulted a 16-year-old schoolgirl. The girl was treated for multiple injuries including a torn earlobe. Following extensive inquiries, operation waratah officers – with assistance from Queensland Police Service – extradited a 38-year-old man from Queensland to NSW, on Monday 29 July 2024. The man was charged by virtue of multiple warrants for assault, break and enter and domestic violence offences. A 23-year-old woman, who was allegedly involved in the assault has already been dealt with by the courts. The man was refused bail to appear before Tweed Head Local Courts on the same day.
- About 7pm Saturday 10 February 2024, police were called to Parramatta Railway Station, following reports of a brawl. Officers arrived and were told a man had allegedly assaulted a woman with an empty pram before members of the public attempted to intervene. During the incident the woman also allegedly assaulted the members of the public that tried to intervene. Following extensive investigations, operation waratah officers executed a search warrant at 7am Wednesday (31 July 2024) at a Blacktown home. During the search police arrested a 24-year-old man before taking him to Blacktown Police Station. About 10am the same day, police arrested a 24-year-old woman in Dundas Valley before taking her to Ryde Police Station. Both the man and woman were charge with affray with the man also being charged with common assault (DV). They were both refused bail to appear before Burwood Local Court on Thursday 1 August 2024.
- On Friday 3 May 2024, police were called to Kingwood Railway Station, following reports a man was chasing another man with a knife. Officers arrived and were told an older man was allegedly chasing a younger man with a knife before the younger man hid in a guard compartment of a train and left the station. Following extensive investigations, operation waratah officers executed a search warrant at 9.30am Wednesday (31 July 2024), at a Hassall Grove home. During the search officers arrested a 24-year-old man before taking him to Mt Druitt Police Station. The man was charged with use offensive weapon with intent to commit indictable offence and granted conditional bail to appear before Mt Druitt Local Court on Tuesday 6 August 2024.
- About 5.45pm on Tuesday 9 January 2024, police were called to Winston Hill, following reports an unknown man had allegedly assaulted a bus driver. Officers arrived and were told a man had allegedly punched the driver in the face while the vehicle was moving before fleeing the bus. Following extensive investigations, operation waratah officers arrested a 23-year-old man at a Castle Hill home, at about 6.50pm on Wednesday 31 July 2024. The man was taken to Castle Hill Police Station where he was charged with common assault. The 23-year-old was granted conditional bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday 21 August 2024.
- About 6pm on Tuesday 16 January 2024, police were called to Edmonson Park Railway Station, following reports a man had allegedly groped a woman without her consent. Officers arrived and were told the man had allegedly followed a 23-year-old woman around the station before touching her in a sexual manner without her consent. Following extensive inquiries operation waratah officers arrested a 19-year-old man at Bankstown Police Station on Thursday 1 August 2024. The man was charged with sexually touch another person without consent and common assault. He was granted conditional bail to appear before Bankstown Local Court on Thursday 22 August 2024.
- About 6.30am on Thursday 1 July 2024, operation waratah officers conducted a FPO check at a Parramatta home. During the check police allegedly located items believed to have been stolen resulting in a search warrant being applied for and granted. During the search police located and seized fraudulent bank documents and a desk. A 33-year-old man was arrested at the home and taken to Granville Police Station where he was charged with possess identity info to commit indictable offence and larceny. He was granted conditional bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday 21 August 2024.
- About 3pm on Thursday 1 August 2024, operation waratah officers were called to the Light Rail platform on Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, following reports a man was allegedly brandishing a large knife. Police arrived and arrested a 38-year-old man nearby in Prince Alfred Park. Officers also located and seized a knife in a nearby bush. The man was taken to Surry Hills Police Station where he was charged with carry knife visible in public place cause fear for safety. The 38-year-old was refused bail to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Friday 2 August 2024.
- About 5.35pm on Thursday 1 February 2024, police were called to Penrith Railway Station, following reports a man had been assaulted. Officers arrived and were told a 52-year-old man had allegedly been punched in the head and face several times and had his personal items thrown out of the train by an unknown man. Following extensive investigation, operation waratah officers arrested a 33-year-old man at a Mt Druitt home, at about 7pm on Thursday 1 August 2024. The man was taken to Mt Druitt Police Station where he was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was granted conditional bail to appear before Mt Druitt Local Court on Wednesday 28 August 2024.
- On Thursday 1 August 2024, operation waratah officers allegedly located a fake driver's licence and multiple fake bank cards on a 38-year-old man while travelling on a Bankstown train. The man was arrested and taken to Liverpool Police Station. At 7pm the same day police executed a search warrant at a Villawood home. During the search, officers located a large amount of prohibited drugs, a knife, stolen personal items and equipment used to produce fraudulent IDs. The man was charged with four counts of possess identity info to commit indictable offence, four counts of possess prohibited drug, two counts of possess/attempt to prescribed restricted substance, make possess equipment to make false documents, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, supply prohibited drug, possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit and goods suspected stolen in/on premises. The 38-year-old was refused bail to appear before Liverpool Local Court on Friday 2 August 2024.
- About 5pm on Wednesday 31 July 2024, operation waratah officers stopped a 37-year-old man for a transport offence at Bondi Junction Railway Station. Following inquiries, the man was arrested for breach of bail and an outstanding warrant. During the arrest the man allegedly resisted police and attempted to kick an officer in the face. No one was injured and the 37-year-old was taken to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with assault police officer in execution of duty without actual bodily harm, breach of bail and an outstanding warrant. The man was refused bail to appear before Waverly Local Court on Thursday 1 August 2024.
Investigations continue.
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.
