Wollongong police arrest 19 people during retail crime crackdown

Police in Wollongong conducted a targeted crackdown on retail crime known as Operation Percentile. During the operation, which took place on Tuesday, August 18, officers arrested 19 people and laid 27 charges.

Uniformed and plain-clothes officers from the Wollongong Police District patrolled the shopping precinct to disrupt repeat offenders. Among those detained, 16 people were allegedly caught shoplifting. Additional charges included fraud, possession of prohibited drugs, breach of bail, and possession of suspected stolen goods.

One specific arrest involved a 36-year-old man caught stealing from a supermarket. Police allege the man was in breach of bail and had previously used a stolen credit card to purchase food and cigarettes at a service station.