Police have issued 12 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs), and issued more than 50 warnings for breaches of the Public Health Act.
Police issued fines to 11 people, with one man receiving PINs on successive days.
Details of the PINS issued include,
• Just before 4.30pm on Tuesday (5 January 2020), officers attached to Police Transport Command (PTC) approached a man without a face covering at Blacktown Train Station. The man told police he didn’t have a mask and had no intention of getting one. The man was issued a $200 Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN). About 9.45am yesterday (Wednesday 6 January 2021), PTC officers approached the man, who was again at Blacktown Train Station and not wearing a mask. He allegedly swore at police and said he does not wear masks. He was issued a second $200 PIN and given a move-on direction.
• Officers from Cumberland Police Area Command were called to a shopping centre at Merrylands about 9.30am following reports a man was verbally abusing security and staff. On arrival, police were told the 60-year-old man had been asked to put a mask on, which he refused to do, and became aggressive before security directed him to leave. As he was being escorted from the centre, the man struggled with a security officer before they both fell to the ground. While no injuries were reported, the man requested to be taken to Auburn Hospital, where he again refused to wear a face mask. He was issued a $200 PIN.
• Just before 9.30am, a 68-year-old man allegedly entered a hardware store at Blacktown without a face mask. A security guard and a police officer approached the man and directed him to wear a mask; however, he refused. He also refused to show police identification. He was arrested and taken to Blacktown Police Station so police could conduct further inquiries. The man was subsequently issued a $200 PIN.
• About 10.20am, officers from PTC spoke with a 45-year-old man who was drinking alcohol on a train near Panania. The man was escorted from the train and checks revealed the man had previously been warned about not wearing a face mask while on public transport. He was subsequently issued a $200 PIN and an infringement for drinking alcohol on public transport.
• Police were conducting proactive patrols at a shopping centre at Bass Hill about 2.45pm when they approached a 38-year-old man in a supermarket who was not wearing a face mask. The man told police he had been at the gym and left his mask in the car. While speaking with police, another man approached and gave him a face mask, but police allege the man refused to put it on. He was subsequently issued a $200 PIN.
• About 3.25pm, officers from PTC approached a 54-year-old man, who was not wearing a face mask, at Glenfield Train Station. The man told officers that a mask won’t work because he has a beard. He was subsequently issued a $200 PIN.
• Officers from PTC approached a 44-year-old man as he alighted from a train at Glenfield Train Station about 5.30pm, after noticing he was not wearing a face mask. The man told officers he didn’t have a mask despite knowing he needed to wear one. He was subsequently issued a $200 PIN.
• PTC officers approached a 38-year-old woman who was smoking while waiting on a platform at Campbelltown Train Station about 6.30pm. She was advised that it was an offence to smoke in the area and also an offence not to wear a face mask. After checks revealed the woman did not have a valid Opal card, she was issued a $200 PIN and two further infringements for smoking and fare evasion.
• Just after 9.30pm, officers from PTC approached an 18-year-old woman who was not wearing a face mask on the concourse at Glenfield Train Station. The woman ignored police and continued to walk away but had to stop to wait on the platform. She told officers that she didn’t have a mask and just wanted to catch the train. Police subsequently issued her with a $200 PIN.
• Officers from PTC were patrolling a train near Mt Druitt about 3.20pm, when they spoke to a 50-year-old man who was not wearing a face mask. After the man stated he left his mask at home and did not have a valid ticket, he was issued a $200 PIN and an infringement for fare evasion.
• About 10pm, officers attached to PTC were conducting patrols on trains travelling on the Airport and South Line when they approached a 24-year-old man who was not wearing a mask. When asked why, the man stated he didn’t need to wear one. He was issued a $200 PIN.
Police also issued more than 50 warnings across Greater Sydney to people not wearing masks yesterday.
Police continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health and safety of the community.
Anyone with information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of COVID-19-related ministerial directions is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
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