Dozens of arrests are flowing from an operation publicly identifying alleged offenders on the run around Geelong and the Surf Coast, police have revealed.
Week of Warrants began on Monday with investigators posting images on social media of people wanted for alleged offences ranging from kill threats to drug possession and family violence.
An operation update on Thursday morning revealed that the initiative had so far produced 59 arrests and cleared 86 outstanding warrants for arrest.
Public responses to the operation had updated dozens of crime files with “intelligence holdings”, police said.
Investigators had also executed five search warrants on separate premises, which yielded several arrests for various offences including drug trafficking and the theft of $35,000 form an employer.
The operation was ongoing when the Geelong Indy reached deadline on Thursday afternoon.
“Persons who know they have outstanding warrants and who are avoiding apprehension with regards to these warrants are still invited to attend at their local police station and have these matters dealt with before we knock on your door at your current residential or business address this week,” police said.
“We would like to thank the community for the information that has been received that has assisted us to execute some of these warrants.”
The Indy reported early last year that police were preparing “name-and-shame” initiatives to catch alleged offenders.
The initiatives began when police produced images of an initial 10 people wanted for arrest.
Week of Warrants follows ongoing police social media posts on Wednesdays identifying people wanted for arrest
