Police allege the cohort has stolen almost $30,000 in items from local stores.
Across two days last week, 39 alleged retail thieves were arrested in Shepparton when police swarmed the city’s CBD and retail precincts.
Police laid more than 80 charges against them, relating to retail theft, drugs, weapons and bail.
Seventeen arrests were made on Wednesday, June 10, while a further 22 were made on Thursday, June 11.
Among the arrested were a 28-year-old Wallan man and a 31-year-old South Morang man wearing trade wear loading property into a van at a Benalla Rd hardware store.
A search of their van revealed more than $600 of allegedly stolen building supplies.
They were charged with theft and possessing cannabis.
A 19-year-old Shepparton woman was charged with theft and assaulting police after allegedly placing several groceries into a bag at a self-service checkout in a Vaughan St supermarket, while only scanning some of them.
She allegedly became physically aggressive when stopped by police.
Loss prevention officers reported a man and a woman allegedly placing groceries into bags at a Kialla supermarket without paying.
The pair allegedly attempted to flee, but were instead arrested.
A search of their vehicle revealed a duffle bag containing hundreds of dollars of items, including groceries, that are alleged to have been stolen.
A 30-year-old Shepparton man was charged with theft, and breach prescribed condition of parole; his alleged accomplice, a 34-year-old Shepparton woman, was released pending summons.
All have been bailed to appear in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court in September.
The ongoing Operation Securus aims to prevent shoplifting offences across Greater Shepparton, and to target prolific thieves who use aggression and intimidation tactics in an attempt to get away with their crimes.
“In the first month alone, local officers have arrested ... an average of almost two alleged thieves every day,” Goulburn Valley Tasking and Co-ordination Inspector Anna Parkinson said.
“Operation Securus will continue to drive down shoplifting across Shepparton, with more days of action planned over the coming weeks.”
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