NSW Police Launch 'Operation Percentile' Statewide to Combat Retail Crime

Statewide Rollout of 'Operation Percentile'

The New South Wales Police Force has officially launched 'Operation Percentile' across the state, a significant expansion of its efforts to combat rising retail crime. The operation is a central component of the new NSW Police Force Retail Crime Strategy, which commenced its statewide rollout on October 24, 2025. This initiative aims to address a range of offences, including theft, assaults, intimidation, and threats of violence against retail workers and customers.

Prior to its statewide implementation, 'Operation Percentile' was piloted in the Central Metropolitan Region since August 2024, demonstrating considerable success. During this pilot phase, 1,080 people were charged with more than 1,395 offences, leading to the recovery of an estimated $960,500 worth of stolen goods. The operation has received formal recognition from the National Retail Association for its excellence in law enforcement and impact on retail crime prevention.

Key Elements of the Retail Crime Strategy

The comprehensive Retail Crime Strategy, developed in consultation with key industry bodies such as the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA), the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), the National Retail Association (NRA), and the Shopping Centre Council, incorporates several strategic elements. These include:

• High-visibility policing operations, with a focus on knife scanning in retail precincts to deter violent behaviour.
• Intelligence-led retail theft operations designed to target and disrupt criminal networks.
• Establishing dedicated points of contact within each police region to improve communication and response times.
• Providing educational initiatives for retailers, such as 'Retail Safety Packs' and 'Safer by Design' site assessments.
• Implementing Place Restriction Orders, allowing police prosecutors to prevent convicted recidivist offenders from re-entering retail premises.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley, emphasized the government's stance, stating, 'No one should be attacked for simply doing their job which is why the NSW Police, backed by the Minns Government, is taking decisive action by giving police everything they need to keep the community safe.' NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon highlighted that a small proportion of offenders are responsible for a significant share of retail crime, underscoring the strategy's focus on repeat offenders.

Recent Operational Successes and Broader Context

Recent targeted actions under 'Operation Percentile' have yielded further results. On December 11 and 12, 2025, officers conducted patrols in major shopping precincts in Sydney's CBD and Liverpool. These operations led to 50 people being charged with 100 offences, primarily for alleged stealings, and the interception of approximately $10,000 worth of goods. Additionally, 74 move-on directions were issued, 49 infringements were handed out, and five weapons (including four knives and a slingshot) were seized, alongside 14 drug detections. In a separate operation in the Wollongong shopping precinct on December 11, 2025, 16 people were arrested for various offences including shoplifting, drug and knife possession, and bicycle theft.

The statewide rollout comes amidst a significant increase in retail crime across Australia, with retail theft costing businesses an estimated $9 billion annually. Data indicates that retail theft increased by 47.5% year-on-year to June 2023. The strategy also builds upon tougher laws introduced in 2023 by the Minns Labor Government, which created new offences with penalties of up to 11 years' imprisonment for retail assaults, threats, and abuse.