Further charges laid after police target Sydney's worst public transport offenders - Op Waratah 2
Tuesday, 03 December 2024 02:54:01 PM
Police have arrested and charged a man in Blue Mountains area, as a part of an investigation under Operation Waratah 2.
On Friday, 29 November 2024, officers attached to Police Transport Command North West, commenced an investigation under Operation Waratah 2, targeting Sydney’s public transport offenders involved in violence and sexual offences, following the success of Operation Waratah, earlier this year.
As a part of the investigation, police have initially released photos of 15 people, who they believe can assist police with their inquiries, where one person has since been identified.
Following further inquiries, about 8pm on Friday, 29 November 2024, police arrested a 25-year-old man in the Katoomba area.
He was taken to Katoomba Police Station where he was charged with affray.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Katoomba Local Court on Monday, 9 December 2024.
Police will allege the man assaulted several teenagers at Leura Railway Station, about 1pm on Tuesday,8 October 2024, before he left the scene.
As investigations under Operation Waratah 2 continue, police are appealing for public assistance to identify 13 people who they believe can assist with their inquiries:
Incident A: About 5.30pm Thursday 1 August 2024, police were called to Strathfield Railway Station, following reports of a sexual touching incident. Officers arrived and were told an unknown man had allegedly sexually touched himself in front of a 20-year-old woman multiple times while on a train. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident C: About 9.45pm Saturday 28 September 2024, police were called to Lidcombe Railway Station, following reports of a sexual touching incident. Officers were told an unknown man had allegedly sexually touched himself multiple times in front of a woman while on a train at Flemington Railway Station before leaving the train. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident D: About 11am Monday 3 June 2024, police were called to Blacktown Railway Station, following reports of an assault. Officers arrived and were told a 14-year-old boy had allegedly been punched in the face by an unknown man before he left the station. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident E: About 8.20pm Sunday 2 June 2024, police were called to Quakers Hill Railway Station, following reports of an assault. Officers arrived and were told an unknown man had allegedly pushed a 53-year-old man out of the train resulting in the man inuring his head. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident F: About 3.30pm Tuesday 29 October 2024, police were called to Cabramatta Railway Station, following reports of a child sexual touching incident. Officers arrived and were told a 14-year-old boy had allegedly been sexually touched by an unknown man while on a train before the man left the train. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident G: About 5.50pm Tuesday 24 September 2024, police were called to Fairfield Railway Station, following reports of an assault. Officers arrived and were told that an unknown woman had allegedly punched a 26-year-old woman in the back of the head before making threatening comments and leaving the train. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a woman who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident H: About 7.50am Tuesday 8 October 2024, police were called to Fairfield Railway Station, following reports of an assault. Officers arrived and were told an unknown man had allegedly assaulted an NSW Transport worker on a train between Cabramatta and Canley Vale Railway Station. During the alleged assault the man also allegedly threatened to kill the worker before leaving the train. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident I: About 4.20pm Thursday 24 October 2024, police were called to Revesby Railway Station, following reports of an assault. Officers arrived and were told an unknown man had allegedly punched a 64-year-old man in the head multiple times while he was attempting to put his walking frame in a car. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident J: About 6pm Wednesday 14 August 2024, police were called to Waratah Street, Punchbowl, following reports a bus driver was assaulted. Officers arrived and were told a bus driver was allegedly assaulted by two unknown men after he asked them to stop drinking alcohol on the bus. During the alleged assault the two men punched the driver in the head, threw alcohol on him and threatened to stab him before leaving. As inquiries continue police have released an image of two men who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident K: About 8.30pm Thursday 19 September 2024, police were called to a university in Macquarie Park, following reports of an assault. Officers arrived and were told an unknown man had allegedly spat on a 13- and 12-year-old girl multiple times and threw garbage at them while on a bus. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident L: About 3.10pm Sunday 29 September 2024, police were called to a bus depot in Ryde, following reports of an assault. Officers arrived and were told an unknown man and woman had entered a bus where they allegedly threw food and made threats towards children. During the incident, the man also allegedly pointed a homemade flamethrower towards a mother and her child and created a burst of flame. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man and woman who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident M: About 3.30pm Monday 19 August 2024, police were called to a shopping centre in Frenchs Forest, following reports of a sexual incident. Officers arrived and were told an unknown man had sexually touched himself multiple times and made sexual comments to a 15-year-old girl. While sexually touching himself the man followed the girl between multiple buses before she was able to flee from the man. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Incident N: About 4am Monday 21 October 2024, police were called to Tuggerah Railway Station, following reports of a sexual touching incident. Officers arrived and were told an unknown man had sexually touched a 51-year-old woman using a gap between the seats while on a train. As inquiries continue police have released an image of a man who may be able to assist police in their investigation.
Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.