Wyndham police will adopt a strength- in-numbers approach in coming weeks to combat a 9.7 per cent rise in crime across the city.
Police in the Westgate division – including Footscray, Williamstown and Altona North police stations – will work alongside Wyndham’s community safety team, burglary unit, motor vehicle crime reduction team and uniform police in a sustained crackdown.
New data released by the Crime Statistics Agency reveals crime across the municipality rose from 13,025 offences in the 2014 calendar year to 14,285 in 2015.
Inspector Frank Sells said that this month alone, Wyndham had experienced more than 130 thefts from cars and more than 100 burglaries.
“Police will be deployed in both an overt and covert capacity so, at times, the community will be acutely aware of the police presence and at other times unaware. But we’ll be out there to enhance community safety,” he said.
“We have some really good information coming in that we’re acting on and I’d ask the community to continue providing information to us about crime or public order issues.
“The community can further help to reduce crime by taking responsibility for their property. Never leave personal property unattended even for the shortest period,” Inspector Sells advised.
“Lock up your bicycles, cars and homes. Don’t leave items on display in your car or leave boxes from newly purchased items on the nature strip. These simple but effective measures make it harder for criminals.”
Community safety boost
Meanwhile, Wyndham’s community safety team has doubled in strength.
The team, which was formed mid-last year to curb crime and antisocial behaviour around Wyndham’s shopping centres and train stations through mobile and foot patrols, now has a sergeant and eight operational members.
Constable Shaun Tait said teams of two or three were deployed to different locations across Wyndham depending on police data and intelligence. Constable Tait, who made four arrests last week alone, said the community safety team was a proactive way of taking offenders off the streets.
