🚨 Operation Soteria Nabs Ten, Moree Man Charged

Police in Moree and across the state's North West have cracked down on serious offences as part of Operation Soteria, leading to ten individuals being charged with a total of 30 offences. This significant law enforcement initiative targets aggravated break, enter and steal incidents, stolen motor vehicles, and 'post and boast' crimes where offenders use social media to gain notoriety.

A three-day surge operation, conducted between Thursday, July 3, and Saturday, July 5, 2025, saw officers from the New England Police District, which encompasses Moree, intensify their presence in crime hotspots. During this period, police carried out numerous checks, including 26 bail compliance checks, 15 person searches, and ten domestic violence order compliance checks. Traffic and Highway Patrol officers also issued 45 infringement notices, conducted 823 random breath tests, resulting in three drink-driving charges and 18 positive roadside drug tests.

Of particular note for the Moree community, an 18-year-old local man has been charged with 17 offences. Eleven of these charges stem from an alleged incident on Sunday, June 22, 2025, where a police vehicle was reportedly rammed at 3:30 AM in Jones Avenue, Moree. The same individual also faces charges from a separate incident on Friday, February 14, 2024, involving another alleged attempt to ram a police vehicle on Greenbah Road, Moree, around 2 AM. He was refused bail and appeared before Moree Local Court on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Additionally, a 14-year-old boy from Moree was charged with two offences following an incident on Monday, May 19, 2025. He was allegedly a passenger in a stolen vehicle involved in a police pursuit. The teenager was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear before a Children's Court on Monday, August 11, 2025.

Operation Soteria continues its vital work across the region, aiming to deter and redirect at-risk youth from criminal activities through coordinated programs and engagement with the Youth Command. Residents are urged to contact Crime Stoppers with any information regarding criminal activity.