More than 200 arrests have been made in an ongoing retail theft operation across Greater Shepparton.
A cohort of 130 people have been hit with more than 820 offences between them since Operation Securus launched in May.
Around 15% of those alleged offenders are accused of being recidivists, the most prolific being a 42-year-old Mooroopna woman, who has been arrested 21 times.
Police have recovered almost $50,000 of allegedly stolen goods from local supermarkets, liquor stores and shops
Anecdotally, local police are seeing groceries, beauty products, alcohol and clothing as the most commonly stolen items.
Arrests of note include:
- The 42-year-old woman who has been arrest 21 times is accused of being involved in more than 40 separate shoplifting incidents at mainly supermarkets since Operation Securus commenced in May. She was arrested in August and was sentenced to 70 days in prison.
- Operation Securus officers identified a group that were allegedly stealing beauty products and high-end fragrances from chemists and supermarkets. It will be alleged the group was exchanging the stolen goods for drugs of dependence. Following enquiries, police executed a search warrant at a Shepparton address on 8 September, where they seized a large quantity of allegedly stolen items, as well as quantities of methylamphetamine 1,4-Butanediol, cannabis and prescription medication. Three people, all from Shepparton, were arrested:
- A 42-year-old man was charged with five offences, including possessing drugs of dependence, and dealing with property suspected proceeds of crime.
- A 40-year-old woman was charged with possessing methylamphetamine.
- A 50-year-old woman was charged with six offences including handling stolen goods, and dealing with dealing property suspected proceeds of crime.
They have since been bailed to appear in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court at later dates. Local police have seen a decline in thefts relating to beauty products since these arrests.
The latest crime data shows retail theft has increased by almost 48% in Greater Shepparton in the year ending June 2026. More than three-quarters of these thefts occurred within Shepparton’s CBD. Victoria Police has made reporting retail theft easier than ever, with the introduction of online reporting resulting in a spike in the number of cases brought to the attention of police.
Operation Securus was established to not only reduce shoplifting offences across local area, but to catch prolific thieves who use aggression and intimidation tactics in an attempt to get away with their crimes.
Operation Securus will continue, with uniform members maintaining a highly visible presence in the CBD and retail precincts.
Quotes attributable to Goulburn Valley Tasking and Coordination Inspector Anna Parkinson:
“The fact we’ve identified and caught 130 alleged offenders demonstrates the scale of this issue, and it also shows the value of having a dedicated team targeting retail crime every day.
“Retail theft is not a victimless crime. It affects workers, business owners and customers, and in many cases, staff are being subjected to unacceptable behaviour.
“Operation Securus is delivering results, and we’ll continue working closely with retailers to make shopping precincts safer and prevent repeat offending across the region.”
“We want retailers to know we are listening to their concerns and taking decisive action against those who repeatedly steal, threaten and intimidate staff.”
