Blakeview residents threaten vigilante justice over youth crime

After months of mounting crime, threats of vigilante justice and sickening assaults, residents of this “iconic” northern suburb are bereft of options.

An “iconic” northern suburbs development has been left to suffer the consequences of a crime wave with pressure placed on police to respond with a heavy hand.

Blakeview residents first noticed a spike in petty crime sweeping their suburb at the end of last year, but they say that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Ian Hughes moved to Blakeview from New South Wales 12 months ago and said he never expected to be living under the stress of being the possible victim of crime.

“You don’t want to be stressed out if you’re just walking to the local shop – you’re just forever looking over your shoulder,” he said.

Mr Hughes said several homes on his street had been targeted in recent weeks culminating in damaged houses, cars and threats of being stabbed.

Blakeview residents have increasingly installed CCTV at their homes in hopes of thwarting a crime wave.

He said police had been called twice and did not attend the reports.

“I don’t know what to do about it. Do I have to complain to the Commissioner?” he said.

“We just steer clear and hope for the best.”

Sarah Louise, who has lived in the area for 30 years, told The Messenger the rate of crime was higher than ever.

“This is the worst I’ve seen it, it’s pretty much every night,” she said.

Ms Louise was working on Mansfield Parade, in one of the busiest parts of the suburb, two weeks ago when a motorcyclist with no plates crashed into her car and fled the scene.

Another resident, who could not be named for legal reasons, said an alleged assault on her son had left the family traumatised.

Her 17-year-old son, who lives with Asperger’s, was walking home from a routine visit to the shops when he was allegedly attacked by three young African men.

“He was headbutted, which broke his nose, punched in the head and threatened with a knife,” the concerned mother said.

“(It was) very traumatic for (him) as he … lacks some understanding why this would happen to him (because of his Asperger’s).

“We generally keep to ourselves and don’t venture out much past dark.”

Outside the Blakeview Woolworths where a woman was victim of a coward punch in May. Picture: Google Maps

Their experiences were not isolated.

A local community group has become a space for alerting fellow residents as to where certain crimes are happening.

One resident alleged in the group his son had been threatened with butter knives before commenting, “I’m starting to think a war zone would be a safer place to live”.

SA Police in May told The Messenger combating the crime would rely on allegations being reported to police to form a “local intelligence picture”.

When asked if that picture had yet been formed a police spokesperson said: “Northern District Police are well aware of their crime trends and issues”.

They said police were acting on “intelligence” daily.

“We will continue to focus on preventing crime and detecting those committing it and deploy our resources accordingly,” the spokesperson said.

Local Labor MP and former policeman Lee Odenwalder said he had been regularly informed of issues at Blakeview including theft, rock throwing and “other anti-social behaviour”.

Mr Odenwalder said he understood SA Police were being “proactive” in the area and increasing patrols.

He said he would be raising the issues at his next meeting with police.