17 January 2020 12:49 pm
Australian Police have charged seven people including five Sri Lankans following a series of pick-pocketing and theft offences on train and tram networks and at popular shopping precincts across Melbourne’s CBD over the past two months, Victoria police said in a statement.
As part of Operation Galeforce, detectives from the Melbourne Tasking Unit (MTU) have charged seven people over the last week with theft-related offences.
“Operation Galeforce was an investigation led by the MTU along with our counterparts in Transit Safety Division,” Sgt Chris O’Brien said.
“We investigated a series of organised and often opportunistic pick pocketing and thefts which were occurring for approximately two months across the city, in shopping precincts and on trams and trains.
“Rest assured Victoria Police takes this type of offending seriously, and our message to anyone out there looking to prey on those going about their everyday business is that you will be arrested and held to account.”
Warrants were executed in Sunshine and Tarneit on Thursday morning (16 January), where police arrested four of the seven, including a 26-year-old female, a 29-year-old male, 32-year-old male from Sri Lanka and a 25-year-old female from India.
The four charged on 16 January were bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 14 April.
Warrants were also executed on 7 January in Albion, which resulted in the charging of three people on 8 January, including: a 38-year-old male, a 32-year-old female from Sri Lanka and a 35-year-old male from India.
The three charged on 8 January were bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 14 April.