By Alesha Capone
POLICE have described a three-week operation to crack down on train crime in the western suburbs as a success.
During Operation Safe Travel – which focused on drugs, alcohol, anti-social behaviour, theft, weapons and other crimes – police used walk-through metal detectors and hand-held wands to conduct random weapons searches at selected stations.
A weapons search and PAD dog (drugs) operation was carried out Footscray Railway Station, where the Sydenham, Werribee and Williamstown lines intersect.
“That was one of our bigger ones,” said Transit Safety Division Acting Inspector Craig Shiell.
“Our drugs one mostly focused on Footscray and Dandenong.”
Acting Insp Shiell said the operation was “very successful” and the low amount of people caught with illegal substances and weapons during the operation was a positive sign.
“Obviously we do catch people, but it’s encouraging, the low numbers of people we catch. Although there is drug use in the system it’s fairly low,” he said.
“The return we had on the weapons search at Footscray was very encouraging too.
“I think the message is if you carry a knife for self-defence, it’s no defence and can be used against you.
“We targeted a lot of anti-social behaviour and alcohol-fuelled violence, so it was good to get that out of the system.”
Also during Operation Safe Travel, transit police spent three days at Watergardens Train Station.
“We did have an operation out at Watergardens, where we targeted thefts from motor cars,” Acting Insp Shiell said.
“We were out there on foot and handing out one-way screws to people to put on their number plates, which are generally stolen for criminal purposes.”
Acting Insp Shiell said although the theft of number plates “may seem like a minor crime” the stolen plates could be used in criminal operations to cover-up a car’s proper identification.
