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Police have charged four people under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) and issued 19 COVID-19 related Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) for offences within the past 24 hours.

Yesterday’s charges:

• About 7am yesterday (Friday 17 April 2020), a 44-year-old man was detained by security after entering a residential building in Chatswood and attempting to steal mail. Officers from North Shore Police Area Command attended and located documentation, clothing, a police exhibit bag and jewellery inside the man’s backpack. The man was arrested and assessed by paramedics after he told security he was unwell and had been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19. He was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital before being taken to Chatswood Police Station and checks revealed he had received a prior warning under the Ministerial Direction on Saturday 11 April 2020. The Surry Hills man was charged with enter inclosed land not prescribed premises w/o lawful excuse, larceny, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen and not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today (Saturday 18 April 2020).

• About 6.30pm yesterday (Friday 17 April 2020), officers from Inner West Police Area Command spoke with a 58-year-old man after observing him drinking on a bench near Newtown Railway Station. Checks revealed the Camperdown man had previously been charged with not complying under the Public Health Act on Wednesday 8 April 2020 and Friday 10 April 2020. The man was arrested and taken Newtown Police Station and charged with detention application and not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19. He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today.

The other individuals charged have been highlighted in previous media releases.

Yesterday’s PINs include:

• About 5pm, officers from Mount Druitt Police Area Command attended Dawson Mall and spoke to five people consuming alcohol. Four were issued warnings while a 28-year-old man was issued a $1000 PIN after previously being warned. Officers returned to the mall just before 8pm and found a 29-year-old man consuming alcohol. He was issued a $1000 PIN after previously being warned.

• Just after 8.30pm, officers from Murray River Police District stopped an unregistered Audi on Dallinger Road, Lavington. Officers spoke to the occupants who told police they were going shopping. The passenger, a 35-year-old man, was found in possession of tattooing equipment. He was issued a $1000 PIN. The driver, a 27-year-old man, was issued traffic infringements for the unregistered and uninsured vehicle.

• Officers attached to South Coast Police District stopped a 24-year-old man riding a bicycle in a dangerous manner and without a helmet in the middle of Knapp Avenue, East Nowra. Police observed the man throw a small plastic bag onto the footpath. The man was arrested and stated he was on his way to leave the bag, allegedly containing 0.7g methylamphetamine, in a location for a friend to pick up. He was issued a $1000 PIN and a Field Court Attendance for possess prohibited drug and possess implements for the self-administer of a prohibited drug. He is due to appear at Nowra Local Court on Monday 29 June 2020.

• About 4.45pm, officers attached to Tweed/Byron Police District spoke to a man at Apex Park, Byron Bay, in the company of a group of people. The 63-year-old was on conditional bail – not to enter Byron Bay – and had also been spoken to by police on three separate occasions in the past 10 days about breaching Ministerial Directions and subsequently issued a $1,000 PIN and charged with breach of bail. He was due to appear at Lismore Local Court today (Saturday 18 April 2020).

• Officers from Wollongong Police District spoke to two men – aged 42 and 55 – after they were observed drinking alcohol in McCabe Park, Wollongong, about 10.45am. The men were each issued a $1,000 PIN.

• At 3.55pm, officers attached to Nepean Police Area Command were patrolling the Kingswood CBD when a 20-year-old man was stopped on Richmond Avenue. Police were aware the Penrith man had been issued warnings on Thursday 9 April 2020 and Tuesday 14 April 2020 and he was subsequently issued a $1,000 PIN.

• About 3am, officers attached to Blacktown Police Area Command spoke to a 34-year-old man outside a house on Prospect Highway, Seven Hills. The man had previously been warned by officers on 4 April 2020 at Surry Hills and was subsequently issued a $1000 PIN.

• Just after midday, police from Coffs/Clarence Police District were patrolling South Grafton when they noticed a man riding a mountain bike on Vere Street without a helmet. When police spoke to the 42-year-old man he informed officers he had been visiting a friend. Police searched the man and found a small amount of cannabis in his pocket. The man was arrested and taken to Grafton Police Station. He was charged with possess prohibited drug, rider not wear approved helmet and ride bike without working warning devices. He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear in Grafton Local Court on 6 July 2020. It was also ascertained the man had been issued with a warning on 16 April 2020 by Grafton Detectives and was issued with a $1000 PIN.

• About 6.30pm, officers from Lake Illawarra Police District were patrolling when they noticed a man and woman walking along Byamee Street, Dapto. The man allegedly told police he had been at a mate’s house. Police searched the pair and will allege they located cannabis in a backpack. The 41-year-old man was arrested and charged with possess prohibited drug. He was granted bail to appear at Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday 15 July 2020. He was also issued with a $1000 PIN for breaching the Public Health Act.

• About 7pm, officers from the Murray River Police District were patrolling when they noticed a man riding a bicycle on the footpath on Griffith Road, Lavington, with no helmet. When police stopped and spoke to the man it’s alleged he became aggressive and argumentative towards police. The 18-year-old man was unable to provide a reasonable excuse for being in the area when he lived in Narrandera. Subsequent checks revealed the man was wanted for an aggravated break and enter and he was arrested. He was charged with aggravated break and enter and breach of bail. He was refused bail refused and appeared at Wagga Wagga Local Court today where he was formally refused bail to re-appear at the same court on Monday (20 April 2020). He was also issued with a $1000 PIN.

Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: . Information is treated in strict confidence.