Overview

• Operation Soteria deploys 80 officers to nine regional areas, including Dubbo, Moree, and Tamworth, to address youth crime escalation.
• The operation focuses on aggravated break-ins, car thefts, and crimes promoted on social media for local fame.
• Social media is a key driver, with young offenders posting about their crimes to gain notoriety and outdo peers.
• NSW Police aim to disrupt ringleaders and reoffenders while diverting peripheral offenders to youth support programs.
• Despite stable youth crime rates over the past decade, public concern has risen due to increasing violence and visibility of offenses.