Police have charged five people and seized three knives during a high-visibility operation in the Orange CBD area yesterday.
Operation Ares is a high-visibility operation in which officers use handheld scanners – electronic metal-detecting 'wands' – to reduce knife crime and boost community safety.
Between 9am and 9pm yesterday (Monday 22 December 2025), officers attached to Central West Police District carried out a knife-scanning operation in the Orange CBD, focusing on the city's retail precincts.
During the operation,
- 163 people were stopped and scanned,
- Eight person searches were conducted,
- Three knives/implements were detected and seized, along with a number of replica firearms,
- One homemade taser was located and seized,
- Five people were arrested and charged for offences including knife possession, and theft-related and trespass offences.
Incidents of note,
- About 3.50pm yesterday (Monday 22 December 2025), police stopped and spoke to a man at a shopping centre on Kite Street, Orange. The 29-year-old man was subjected to a search where officers located and seized items believed to be stolen. He was arrested and taken to Orange Police Station where he was charged with two counts of enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, and larceny. He was refused bail to appear before Bail Division Court 4 today (Friday 23 December 2025).
- About 1.30pm yesterday (Monday 22 December 2025), police stopped and spoke to a man at a park on Byng Street, Orange. The 23-year-old man was subjected to a search where officers located and seized a knife. He was charged with custody of knife in public place – subsequent offence. He was issued a field court attendance notice to appear before Orange Local Court on Thursday 12 February 2026.
Operation Ares continues to run in designated locations across NSW.
/Public Release. This material from the originating organization/author(s) might be of the point-in-time nature, and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News does not take institutional positions or sides, and all views, positions, and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s).View in full here.
