The Gold Stealing Detection Unit (GSDU), or Gold Stealing Detective Squad (GSDS),[1] is a special unit of the Western Australian Police, based in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. It investigates criminal activity and allegations at all stages of the gold production process in the state.[2]
| Gold Stealing Detection Unit | |
|---|---|
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1907 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Western Australia, Australia |
 | |
| Map of Gold Stealing Detection Unit's jurisdiction | |
| Size | 2,645,615 km2 |
| Governing body | Government of Western Australia |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Egan Street, Kalgoorlie, WA |
| Website | |
| https://www.police.wa.gov.au/Crime/Gold-stealing/Gold-Stealing-Detection-Unit | |
The unit consists of a very small number of detectives but is the oldest specialist police service in Western Australia.[3]
History
editThe squad was formed in 1907, at a time when gold theft was rife in the region.[4] It was formed after Detective Sergeant Kavanagh,[3] in charge of the Kalgoorlie police, submitted a report in 1906 on the seriousness of gold theft in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. A Royal Commission[5] determined in February 1907,[3] that his allegations were justified and a special police service was formed in late 1907.[6]
Previous to this, the Chamber of Mines operated a special service called The Bureau for investigatory services.[7] The Chamber continued to financially support the GSDS.[6] The unit is based now, as it was then, at Egan Street in Kalgoorlie.
Walsh and Pitman
editIn April 1926, Inspector John Walsh[8] and Sergeant Alexander Pitman of the GSDS were murdered while investigating gold theft.[9] Their bodies were dumped down the Belle of Kalgoorlie mine shaft at Miller's Find, Binduli, near Kalgoorlie.[10][11] The murders and the subsequent press reporting about the limited resources available to the GSDS at the time had a similar effect of the 1907 reporting of issues. The lengthy investigation, eventual capture, and execution of the murderers, William Coulter and Phillip Trefene, was of considerable interest to the Perth press at the time.[12]
Walsh's and Pitman's funeral in Perth on 17 May 1926 was a procession watched by thousands, and attended by a large number of police officers.[13] The memorial to the two policemen was originally of low interest; however, in the year of the state's centenary it was unveiled by the Governor.[14] The memorial was originally erected outside the police building in James Street, Perth,[15][16] moved for a time to the WA Police Headquarters, and is now located in the WA Police Academy at Joondalup.
Recent history
editThe squad was part of the Western Australian Police Department until 31 May 1995, when the latter became the Western Australia Police Service.[17]
On 2 October 2007, the unit celebrated its centenary in Kalgoorlie Town Hall.[18][19]
As 70% of all gold mined in Australia is produced from Western Australia, gold mining is an important industry in the state and it is a requirement for anybody to work in the industry to obtain a GSDU clearance certificate. In 2017, 210 tonnes of gold were mined in Western Australia, worth A$11.2 billion to the state economy.[20][21][22][23]
Current functions
editThe GSDU provides the only regular police service to many of the isolated mines in Western Australia.[24]
The functions of the GSDU continue many of the 1907 GSDS functions, including the provision of clearance certificates for prospective mine workers, inspections, advice and education, and its main role for 100 years, detection and prosecution of gold theft.
The GSDU currently consists of six detectives, funded by the WA Chamber of Mines.[25]
Recent operations
editIn October 2004, the GSDU arrested six men in Norseman and charged them with offences ranging from stealing to possession of unlicensed firearms.[26]
In January 2009, GSDU charged six men with theft of safety equipment at mines.[27]
In December 2013 the GSDU investigated a clandestine gold processing plant in suburban Kalgoorlie, reminiscent of the means by which gold stealers operated in the early years of the 20th century.[28] Similarly the squad and other police were involved in late 2023 and early 2024 with investigating in town processing plants.[29]
A criminal case against two alleged gold thieves was thrown out in August 2024 after detectives from the GSDU mishandled evidence.[30]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ known commonly as the Gold Stealing Detection Squad or GSDS in the 1920s
- ^ Specialised state and territory agencies against organised crime – Western Australia Archived 10 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Australian Institute of Criminology, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ a b c Gold Squad' celebrates its 100th birthday Archived 13 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine Government Media Office – Ministerial Media Statements, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ Centenary of the Gold Squad[permanent dead link] Miningaustralia.com.au, published: 3 October 2007, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ Western Australia. Royal Commission to Inquire into and Report upon an Alleged Prevalance of Gold Stealing (2013), Royal Commission to Inquire into and Report upon an Alleged Prevalence of Gold Stealing, 1906-7, Carlisle, Western Australia Hesperian Press, ISBN 978-0-85905-560-4
- ^ a b "AU WA A1238 Gold Stealing Detection Unit". State Records Office of WA. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ Bureau (Kalgoorlie, W.A.) (1899), Daily record and detective occurence [sic] book, 1899-1900, retrieved 27 January 2024
- ^ Bentley, Mollie. Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University – via Australian Dictionary of Biography.
- ^ Purdue, Brian.(2001) The gold stealers : the murders of Inspector John Walsh & Sergeant Alexander Pitman, near Kalgoorlie in April 1926 Carlisle, W.A. : Hesperian Press ISBN 0-85905-271-0
- ^ "Another Gold Rush – Leases Pegged at Binduli". The West Australian. Perth, WA. 26 October 1910. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ "Horrifying Murder at Kalgoorlie". Sunday Times. Perth, WA. 16 May 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
- ^ William Coulter – trial and sentence for murder of Pitman and Walsh Daily News (Perth, W.A.), 15 Sept. 1926
- ^ The Bullion Van policewahistory.org.au, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ Police news, Jan. 1927, p.1-3; May 1927, p.5; Mar. 1928, p.5; Nov. 1928, p.3; Dec. 1929, p.1-8: memorial unveiled on 8 Dec. 1929 by the Governor, lengthy descriptions and photographs.
- ^ "WALSH-PITMAN MEMORIAL". Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA : 1916 – 1938). Kalgoorlie, WA. 24 September 1929. p. 23. Retrieved 26 January 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ [1] the liswa photograph is of when it was in James Street
- ^ "AU WA A944 – Western Australia Police Service". State Records Office of WA. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ The Chambers of Minerals & Energy newsletter Archived 20 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine published: 12 October 2007, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ 100 year anniversary celebrates gold squad in 'Prospect, western Australia's International Resources Development magazine' – December 2007 – February 2008, page 10
- ^ "2017 review of mineral and petroleum industry activity". Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- ^ McKinnon, Stuart (5 March 2018). "Australia on track for record gold production in 2018". The West Australian. Perth, WA. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- ^ Gold stealing in Western Australia Western Australian police website, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ The requirements for entry onto West Australian Mine sites Archived 7 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Barminco website, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ About the Gold Stealing Detection Unit's (GSDU) services Western Australian police website, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ Ayling, Julie; Grabosky, Peter; Shearing, Clifford (2006). "Harnessing Resources for Networked Policing". In Fleming, Jenny; Wood, Jennifer Dawn (eds.). Fighting Crime Together: The Challenges of Policing and Security Networks. Sydney: UNSW Press. p. 74. ISBN 9780868409238. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- ^ WA police crack gold stealing ring ABC.net, published: 11 October 2004, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ Gold squad charge six men over mines theft WAtoday, published: 30 January 2009, accessed: 25 June 2009
- ^ "Gold processing plant found at Kalgoorlie house". Australia: ABC News. 11 December 2013.
- ^ "WA Police seize 30 tonnes of stolen gold-bearing ore they claim bikies used to launder cash for illicit drug operations". Western Australia: ABC News. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Alleged gold thieves walk free, awarded more than $22K in costs as forensics bungle sees trial abandoned". ABC News. 16 August 2024.