A 30-year-old man received the dubious distinction of being the 200th apprehension by an ACT Policing operation targeting recidivism, when he was arrested for driving while disqualified just hours after leaving court.
The man had previously appeared before the ACT Magistrates Court in November in relation to a separate charge of driving while disqualified, as well as a number of other charges. He was subsequently disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for a period of 12 months.
He returned to court Tuesday where he entered into a continuation of his bail conditions which forbids driving a motor vehicle and using illegal drugs, including cannabis.
But the man's commitment to these conditions allegedly lasted only a few hours.
Just after midday that day, police said they observed the man driving a silver Mercedes CLA200 on Petrie Street in the city.
The 30 year old was located and arrested inside the Canberra Centre a short time later.
He was screened for drugs and allegedly returned a positive result.
So he went back before the court for the second time that day on charges of driving while disqualified and breach of bail.
Operation Toric (Targeting Of Recidivism In Canberra) has become the most successful ACT Policing strategy of the past two decades, posting its 200th arrest in a little over six months.
While Canberra is still the car theft capital of the country, according to the Chief Police Officer, the rapid arrest rate of Operation Toric has seen the number of stolen motor vehicles in decline from a peak of 359 over the three months from April to June last year to 235 between October and December.
Operation Toric is the biggest ACT targeted property crime strategy since Operation Halite 20 years ago, and was set up as the ACT was recording a significant spike in burglaries and motor vehicle theft. Police have said much of the car theft was a direct result of thieves breaking into private homes and stealing car keys left out by the owners.
Most of the officers involved in Operation Toric are general duties members, drawn from each of the police stations across the ACT. The second rotation of new members into the taskforce began in early December.
Detective Inspector Shane Scott said the targeting of these recidivist offenders will continue "relentlessly" for as long as people continue to disregard the court conditions applied to them.
"Yet again we have seen a previously apprehended person ignore court imposed disqualification and bail conditions. To do so puts themselves and other roads users at risk," Detective Inspector Scott said.
"Offenders continue to play Russian roulette with the ACT public by putting themselves above all other road users when driving while not permitted by the court."
