Police across Sydney's south-west region have attended 430 homes and arrested 84 people – including a man who live-streamed himself outside a police station via a social media platform – under Operation Persistence, a week-long operation targeting people wanted on outstanding warrants.
The State Intelligence Command launched Operation Persistence in January this year (2022) and continues to work with police across the state to locate individuals wanted on outstanding warrants.
As part of the operation, between Saturday 12 March 2022 and Friday 18 March 2022, officers attached to all nine South West Metropolitan Region police area commands – with assistance from specialist units – proactively doorknocked and appealed to the public for assistance to locate wanted individuals.
Throughout the week-long operation, police executed 89 warrants and arrested 84 people aged between 19 and 62 years.
The warrants related to armed robbery, kidnapping, domestic violence, traffic, arson, break and enter, drug supply, assault police and firearms offences.
Arrests of note include:
- Following information provided by a member of the public that a 29-year-old man – wanted on an arrest warrant relating to an alleged assault police offence – was streaming himself live outside Bankstown Police Station last Friday (18 March 2022). The man was arrested, and the outstanding warrant was executed. He appeared at Bankstown Local Court on the same date, where he was granted conditional bail, to reappear at Bankstown Local Court on Thursday 21 April 2022.
- A 38-year-old man – who was wanted on an outstanding warrant for his alleged involvement in an armed robbery at a service station on Punchbowl Road, Lakemba, in April 2003 – was detected by Queensland Police in Coomera, following information sought by NSW Police that the man had fled interstate after being on the run for almost 19 years. The man was arrested on Tuesday 15 March 2022 before detectives from Campsie Police Area Command travelled to Southport Magistrates Court, where extradition was granted. The man was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station where the outstanding warrant was executed. He was refused bail to appear before Tweed Heads Local Court on Wednesday 16 March 2022, where he was granted conditional bail to next appear at Burwood Local Court on Wednesday 30 March 2022.
- A 30-year-old man – who was wanted on an outstanding warrant relating to an alleged aggravated kidnapping offence in Canterbury in April 2021 – attended Auburn Police Station about 8.30am on Wednesday 16 March 2022, after identifying himself on NSW Police Force social media pages during the Operation Persistence campaign. The man was arrested and the outstanding warrant was executed. The man was refused bail and appeared at Burwood Local Court on the same date, where he was refused bail and will reappear at Burwood Local Court on Wednesday 18 May 2022.
Operation Commander, Detective Superintendent Simon Glasser, has thanked the community for their assistance, with a number of arrests resulting from information provided to Crime Stoppers.
"Operation Persistence not only included active patrols and 430 door-knocks, but state-wide public appeals which resulted in eight people handing themselves in due to information provided to us by members of the public," Det Supt Glasser said.
"I would like to thank the public for supporting our appeal and coming forward with information – not only does this help us ensure those responsible for crimes are held to account, but it also shows that no matter how insignificant you may think the information is, it may be the piece that leads to an arrest.
"We will continue to target those outstanding people wanted on arrest warrants, with proactive policing at all times of the day and night," Det Supt Glasser said.
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.
