POLICE have arrested more than a dozen people in a major 72-hour crackdown on shoplifting at Port Macquarie.
Plain clothes police and loss prevention officers took part in the covert operation, conducted between Tuesday and Thursday of last week to coincide with the first week of the school holidays.
They allegedly caught 15 people, aged between 22 and 62, stealing from Port Macquarie retailers.
Most the offenders were issued $300 criminal infringement notices for the offence of stealing.
However, a number of others will be summonsed to appear in Port Macquarie Local Court in the future.
Mid North Coast LAC duty officer, Chief Inspector Shane Cribb, described the operation as a success.
“We timed this operation to coincide with the school holidays when there are more people in our local shops,” Chief Inspector Cribb said.
“Hopefully, the 15 people who were caught stealing might think twice about who is watching them before they again try to take something from a store without paying for it.
“Local police will continue to work hand in glove with local retailers and their loss prevention and security staff to target those who commit this type of opportunistic crime.
“Ultimately, it’s the consumer who bears the cost of retail theft and we will continue to work with retailers to stamp out such offences,” he said.
