Police have charged 16 people during a four-day high-visibility operation focused on preventing and disrupting crime in the state's northeast.
Between Wednesday 10 June 2026 and Saturday 13 June 2026, officers attached to Oxley Police District – assisted by Western Region Operations Support Group, Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Team and Youth Command – saturated the Tamworth area under Operation Soteria to target and reduce crime.
As a result of the operation, police arrested and charged 16 people with a total of 36 offences including drug-related, shoplifting, knife and traffic offences.
There were also 14 people issued with Court Attendance Notices for domestic violence, shoplifting and knife-related offences.
Officers conducted 14 person searches, 49 checks relating to bail compliance and apprehended domestic violence orders, and made five drug detections.
Youth Command officers also attended six related community engagements, including a fundraising disco at the PCYC, and local junior rugby league, soccer and netball.
Incidents of note include,
- About 9.30pm on Saturday 13 June 2026, police arrested a 13-year-old boy in Tamworth. He was charged with breach of bail, was refused bail and appeared before a children's court yesterday (Sunday 14 June 2026).
- About 2.50pm on Thursday 11 June 2026, police were patrolling the South Tamworth area when reports were received a defective ute had been observed on Kent Street. Officers located the vehicle on Wilburtree Street and saw the driver and passenger were both allegedly wearing balaclavas. When the driver allegedly failed to stop despite a police direction to do so, a pursuit was initiated. The pursuit continued onto Calala Lane where the vehicle collided with a police car, causing the pursuit to be terminated. No injuries were reported. Police arrested a 27-year-old man nearby, and took him to Tamworth Police Station where he was charged with eight offences; police pursuit - not stop - drive dangerously, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, destroy or damage property more than $15000, not give particulars to owner of damaged property, stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm (domestic) (three counts) and destroy or damage property (DV). He was refused bail and faced Bail Division Court 5 on Friday 12 June 2026, where he was formally refused bail to reappear before Tamworth Local Court today (Monday 15 June 2026).
- About 9pm on Saturday 13 June 2026, police stopped a vehicle displaying incorrect numberplates on Mahony Avenue, West Tamworth. During a search of the driver – a 37-year-old man – officers allegedly located and seized a knife. He was arrested and taken to Tamworth Police Station where he was charged with custody of knife in public place, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, and use class A vehicle with unauthorised number plate affixed. He was granted strict conditional bail to appear before Tamworth Local Court on Monday 29 June 2026.
Further Operation Soteria surges are being planned for the future.
