Officers from the Police Transport Command have arrested a man following an investigation into a series of malicious damage at train stations across the Sydney network.
In December 2019, officers from the Police Transport Command Target Action Group commenced an investigation after graffiti was reported at railway stations across the greater Sydney region; including Kingsgrove, Port Kembla, Blacktown and Eveleigh.
Following extensive inquiries, investigators arrested a 35-year-old man at a home in Newtown about 8am on Thursday 9 July 2020.
He was taken to Newtown Police Station, where he was charged with nine offences, including:
- five counts of destroy/damage property in company,
- three counts of go onto or into or remain on or in running lines, and
- enter enclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse.
Police will allege in court that the man was involved in spraying graffiti on moving and stationary trains as well as buildings at railway stations on 15 occasions between December 2019 and May 2020.
The Newtown man was refused bail to appear before Newtown Local Court on Thursday 9 July 2020, where he was formally granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday 20 August 2020.
Police Transport and Public Safety Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Tony Cooke, said this arrest was the latest in a targeted effort against vandalism.
“Since the start of the year, our officers have been working hard to target and disrupt graffiti offenders across the transport network,” A/Assistant Commissioner Cooke said.
“Over the past two months alone, our officers have arrested eight men and charged them with 116 graffiti-related offences across Sydney’s public transport network.
“It’s something we don’t tolerate, and we make no apologies for taking the appropriate action against those who think they can cause this malicious damage.”
Anyone with information about any malicious damage on the public transport network is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.
