Police are in a rush to locate several accused criminals who are currently unmonitored following the abrupt closure of BailSafe Australia, a private company responsible for GPS tracking of individuals on bail. This unexpected shutdown, which occurred over a week ago without notifying authorities, has left eight individuals in Victoria and twenty in New South Wales without oversight.
BailSafe monitored alleged offenders using GPS devices to confirm compliance with bail conditions and enforce curfews. In response to this crisis, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the company’s actions as “utterly unacceptable,” stating that police and the Office of Public Prosecutions are actively trying to identify these individuals.
Shadow attorney-general Michael O’Brien described the situation as a “bail fail,” attributing the issue to the government’s mishandling of bail laws and monitoring systems. Meanwhile, State Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny expressed her surprise at the existence of such private companies and has called for their prohibition, emphasising the capability of Victoria Police in conducting bail compliance checks.
Victoria Police is presently assessing the individual cases to determine the necessary actions, including potential bail revocations. NSW Police reiterated their commitment to performing routine compliance checks on those granted conditional bail and taking appropriate legal steps against any breaches.