Six workers at a mine in the town of Norseman are expected to be charged in relation to a gold stealing racket after police raided properties in a sting which has left the local community reeling.
Operation Herring, an 18-month investigation by the police gold stealing detection unit based in Kalgoorlie, is likely to result in the workers, all employed by Croesus Mining, being charged with a range of offences relating to alleged gold theft from mine sites in Norseman, including stealing as a servant, drugs and firearms offences.
Croesus said yesterday the six employees who have been summoned to appear in court ahead of the charges being laid had been sacked by the company.
The raids came after a string of highly unusual events in the town in recent weeks, including a sudden death on a Croesus minesite, attempted suicides and three suspicious house fires. Police say it is unclear whether any of these events are linked to the theft.
On Friday, respected Croesus Mining manager Steven Stanley Drew was killed in an explosives- related incident at the Bullen mine.
The cause of Mr Drew's death is still being investigated but police said Mr Drew had not been interviewed over the gold investigation.
Gold stealing officer-in-charge Det-Sen. Sgt Peter Feast declined to comment on the amount of gold allegedly stolen or its value, saying only that it was significant.
Police allege rocks containing the gold were stolen from several mines by a small number of people.
Sen. Sgt Geoff Desanges said the operation was similar to a big-scale gold stealing operation uncovered at the Fraser gold mine near Southern Cross 10 years ago. This led to the conviction of 10 miners.
Dundas Shire president Lynn Webb said about 60 people attended two public meetings in the town yesterday to raise concerns about the investigation and the lack of legal representation for those interviewed.
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