GEELONG, VIC. — An ongoing operation targeting retail theft and anti-social behaviour in Geelong CBD has led to more than 350 arrests in the last year.
Operation Plymouth sees a team of police patrol major shopping centres and public transport hubs, including Geelong Railway Station and Moorabool Street bus stop, to detect crime and boost safety, according to Inspector Clare Murphy, the Geelong Local Area Commander.
It has seen 351 arrests in the last 12 months.
“Police have been incredibly focused on Geelong’s CBD – arresting more than 350 offenders in the last year as part of Operation Plymouth,” Inspector Clare Murphy said.
299 offences have been related to shop theft; however, police have also made arrests for assaults, affrays and criminal damage.
Police have also offered hundreds of referrals to people sleeping rough or stealing groceries, with 102 people accepting the referral.
Ensuring road and pedestrian safety has also been a focus, with 176 infringement notices handed out over the last year for offences including speeding and using a mobile phone while driving.
“While police patrol the CBD every day, Plymouth sees bolstered numbers during busy school holiday periods when more families and children are out and about,” Inspector Clare Murphy said.
The latest operation, which ran Monday, April 6, Tuesday, April 7, Monday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 14, saw 75 arrests.
During the April 7 blitz, police arrested and charged a 41-year-old woman for allegedly stealing $3000 worth of pharmaceuticals from a supermarket.
Geelong police continued to investigate the woman and linked her and a 44-year-old man to $32,000 worth of shop thefts over the last eight weeks.
During one incident, police will allege the woman spat in the face of a shop attendant when approached for stealing $11,000 in cosmetics.
Police arrested the pair in Geelong CBD on 14 April and charged them with 23 combined offences, including shop theft, unlawful assault and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
The woman was remanded to appear before Geelong Magistrates’ Court on April 22, and the man is set to appear on May 15.
While crime data shows offending on Little Malop Street is almost 25% lower than it was a decade ago, safety in the CBD remains a key focus for Geelong police.
In addition to proactive operations, such as Plymouth, officers conduct daily vehicle and foot patrols of the area.
Plymouth will continue to run over school holiday weeks to further boost safety during high foot traffic periods.
“The results send a clear message to people that if you choose to offend in the Geelong CBD, you will be arrested and held to account,” Inspector Clare Murphy said.
