VICTORIA Police conducted a highly visible operation across Latrobe Valley’s public transport network on Tuesday, April 28.
Officers from Moe, Morwell and Traralgon uniform teamed up with V/Line authorised officers to prevent crime and further boost safety across the network.
Police patrolled the Moe, Morwell and Traralgon railway stations, and travelled on trains to engage with commuters.
Officers also patrolled nearby bus hubs, as well as Mid Valley Shopping Centre and Traralgon Centre Plaza.
During the operation, police engaged with dozens of commuters, shoppers, and railway staff to listen to any concerns and ensure they felt safe.
Pleasingly, police detected just two offences, with a 15-year-old boy and 14-year-old boy arrested for allegedly stealing from stores in Morwell and Traralgon.
Both were released pending summons for theft offences.
The operation, called Topham, has been running regularly since February 2026.
Acting Sergeant Luke Jansen Van Rensburg, Moe Uniform said the results of the operation were self-evident.
“The public feedback from the increased presence of police along the train line has been extremely positive,” he said.
“With just two offences detected throughout Tuesday’s operation, it shows the highly visible presence is making a difference.
“This operation sends a clear message that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated on our public transport system.
“We will continue to work closely with our public transport partners to ensure the network remains safe for all commuters.”
In total, police have arrested seven people for a range of offences including assaults, thefts, drug possession and being wanted on warrant.
Police have also engaged with hundreds of commuters and checked more than 150 vehicles at carparks to ensure they were secured and not broken into.
Authorised officers have issued 24 tickets for behavioural offences, alcohol consumption and ticketing offences.
Operation Topham will continue across the Latrobe Valley public transport network.
It runs in addition to regular patrols, with PSOs staged at Traralgon railway station from around 5pm until the last train each night.
