A month-long operation targeting offenders wanted on outstanding warrants across Sydney has concluded.
Operation Persistence Metro is a high visibility, Sydney metropolitan-wide operation, aimed at arresting individuals wanted by virtue of outstanding arrest warrants.
As a part of the operation, between Thursday 1 June 2023 and Friday 30 June 2023, police officers attached to Sydney metropolitan commands, with the assistance of specialist units, proactively door-knocked and appealed to the public for assistance to locate wanted individuals.
The warrants related to offences including domestic violence, property offences including break and enters, knife crime, traffic offences, sexual violence and assaults.
The operation resulted in 304 warrants being executed, which resulted in 254 arrests being made,12 of these as a result of media posts and requests for public assistance.
Other operation highlights included a clearance of 31 warrants for people remanded in custody in NSW, eight warrants executed as a result of extraditions from Victoria and Queensland and 19 warrants executed related to high-risk domestic violence offences.
Some notable arrests during the operation include;
On Tuesday 6 June 2023, a 39-year-old man wanted on warrants for shoplifting was arrested in Bass Hill. The man was charged with four counts of shoplifting and refused bail. The man is due to appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday 5 July 2023.
On Tuesday 20 June 2023 a, 32-year-old man wanted for alleged sexual offences, assault and stalk and intimidation was arrested in Queensland. The man was arrested and extradited to NSW, where he was charged with sexual assault, two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and stalking and intimidation. The man was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Liverpool Local Court on Tuesday 15 August 2023.
On Wednesday 21 June 2023, a 27-year-old man wanted for domestic violence offices was arrested in Queensland. The man was extradited from Queensland and returned to NSW. The man was charged with common assault, threaten injury to person and damage or destroy property. The man was refused bail upon return but has since been granted conditional bail. The man is due to appear back before Bankstown Local Court on Wednesday 5 July 2023.
On 23 June 2023, a 32-year-old woman wanted for warrants relating to drug supply, domestic violence offences and breach of an AVO was arrested in Victoria. The woman was extradited to NSW here she was charged with two counts of supply prohibited drug and fail to appear before court in accordance with bail conditions. The woman was refused bail and is due to appear before Bankstown Local Court on Thursday 29 June 2023.
Operation Commander, Acting Superintendent Andrew Evans, thanked the community for their assistance.
"The community are our eyes and ears, and information provided via Crime Stoppers or to local police stations – no matter how big or small – is invaluable to supplement our investigations," Mr Evans said.
"Police will continue to target offenders wanted on arrest warrants and similar operations can be expected in future."
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.
