More than 30 people have been charged with 60 offences during a three-day operation across Western and Northern NSW under Operation Soteria.
A three-day surge operation ran between Thursday (26 June 2025), and Saturday (28 June 2025), focusing on crime hot spots and maintaining a high-visibility public presence aimed at reassuring the communities of Western and Northern Police Regions.
Operation Soteria is a strategic initiative focusing on aggravated break, enter and steal offences, stealing motor vehicles and 'post and boast' offences where social media is used to gain notoriety.
Operation Soteria coordinates the response to this form of offending and takes overall command and control of criminal investigations into crimes of this nature across Northern and Western NSW Police regions.
Surge operations are also run in conjunction with officers from the Youth Command as part of a coordinated program of engagement with at-risk youth by facilitating participation in programs and activities aimed at deterring and redirecting youth from criminal activity.
During the three-day operation, a total of 33 people were charged with 60 offences, which included drug, break-and-enter, and driving-related offences. Police also undertook 45 bail compliance checks, and an additional three infringement notices were issued.
During the operation two boys were charged under Operation Soteria after an 89-year-old man was allegedly threatened and robbed in his Walgett home last week.
In a resolution to the Walgett aggravated break and enter, since it occurred shortly before 1am last Tuesday (24 June 2025), as the man slept in his Wee Waa Street home.
Police were told two people allegedly forced their way into the home, threatening the man with a baseball bat before leaving in his SUV.
That vehicle was involved in a pursuit to the Castlereagh Highway about 1.20am that day, before police lost sight of the vehicle and terminated.
Following extensive inquiries by officers attached to Operation Soteria, a search warrant was executed in Walgett at 7:40am last Friday (27 June 2025), and a 15-year-old boy was arrested. Keys to the stolen SUV were allegedly found during a search of the premises.
The boy was taken to Walgett Police Station where he was charged with six offences,
• Aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence – armed
• Face blackened/disguised with intent to commit indictable offence
• Take and drive conveyance without consent without consent of owner
• Police pursuit – not stop – drive at speed
• Hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty, and
• Commit 112 (2) offence and disseminate.
He was also charged with breach of bail.
The boy was refused bail before appearing via AVL before Parramatta Children's Court yesterday (28 June 2025), where he was refused bail to appear in a children's court on 7 July 2025.
About an hour later, police executed a search warrant at a home in Walgett in relation to an alleged aggravated break and enter on a home on Namoi Street, Walgett, on Thursday 19 June 2025. A 14-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Walgett Police Station while items, including a mobile phone, were seized for further examination.
The boy has now been charged with aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company, and be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner in relation to the Namoi Street incident; however, after a review of a mobile phone seized during the search warrant, the boy was also charged with be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner in relation to the incident in Walgett on 24 June 2025.
He was refused bail and appeared before Parramatta Children's Court yesterday, where he was granted conditional bail to appear in a children's Court on 14 July 2025.
In other arrests, an 18-year-old man was arrested after members of the public reported man armed with a handgun was walking along Wheelers Lane, Dubbo, about 11.20pm last Friday (28 June 2025). Officers attached to Operation Soteria arrested the man in Cobra Street, where a search allegedly revealed he was carrying a replica handgun.
The man, from Dubbo, was taken to Dubbo Police Station where he was charged with possess unregistered firearm (pistol), and possess offensive instrument in a public place. He was granted conditional bail to appear in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday 6 August 2025.
A 33-year-old man has been charged with multiple offences after being arrested about 1.30am last Friday (28 June 2025), when he was seen allegedly looking into cars parked in the grounds of a Whylandra Street motel.
The man was arrested nearby and, when searched was allegedly carrying a balaclava, gloves, pry bar, multigrips, spanner, small screwdriver set, sheers, cutters, torch and methamphetamine (ICE).
He has now been charged with six offences,
• Enter building/land with intent commit indictable offence
• Face blackened/disguised with intent to commit indictable offence
• Hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty (two counts)
• Possess implements to enter/drive conveyance, and
• Possess prohibited drug.
He's also been charged with breach of bail.
The man, from Dubbo, has been refused bail to appear in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday 16 July 2025.
A 27-year-old man has been charged with domestic violence, weapon and drug offences after being arrested after a pursuit on foot along Thompson Street, Dubbo, about 10.30pm Friday (27 June 2025). Officers attached to Operation Soteria had attempted to stop the man as he was driving a ute along Thompson Street; however, when he allegedly ran from police a pursuit was initiated.
The man was taken to Dubbo Police Station where he was charged with five offences including common assault (DV), possess knife in a public place, possess a prohibited drug, as well as two counts of breach Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO).
He was refused bail and appeared in Dubbo Local Court today (28 June 2025), where he was again refused bail to appear in the same court on Tuesday 15 July 2025.
During the operation, the NSW Police Youth Command also conducted a successful community engagement session at the PCYC in Dubbo where more than 70 youths attended and took part in the session.
Operation Soteria is an ongoing operation which continues to monitor and respond to issues across the Northern and Western Police Regions.
Anyone with information about incidents being investigated under Operation Soteria is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
