North Shore police officers are pressing charges against ten individuals as part of a crackdown on shoplifting in Chatswood.
What happened: Over the weekend, NSW Police officers from the North Shore Command rolled out into the streets of Chatswood. They weren’t after a succulent Chinese meal or a sweet deal at TJ Maxx: they were on the lookout for shoplifters.
In total, the operation saw ten people charged with 20 offences, and a further 16 issued with on the spot fines. Sixteen youth cautions were also issued.
Retail theft: A media release from NSW Police alleges that items stolen include clothes and food.
One man was charged for allegedly possessing two fireworks and a small quantity of heroin.
Another was charged for allegedly possessing a small bag of methylamphetamine and clothing items police believed to be stolen.
In footage provided by NSW Police, officers can be seen detaining a man while removing groceries from a backpack, including rice, bottled water, salt and what appears to be supermarket roast chicken.
Footage also shows an individual detained while several items of jewellery are removed from a bag.
NSW approach: The three day “retail crime blitz” was part of Operation Percentile, a state-wide operation aiming to “detect, disrupt and deter retail crime offenders, with the objective of preventing stock loss, protecting customers and retail workers, and deterring anti-social behaviour”.
When asked how they defined this, a NSW Police spokesperson said “weapon possession, drug possession, shoplifting and other offences committed in public places”.