Blake’s Crossing and Blakeview residents threaten to act after rising crime

Sick and tired of constant break-ins, car thefts and even a shocking random assault, locals of an Adelaide community are taking matters into their own hands.

Just days after a single mother was the victim of a cowardly attack near a northern suburbs shopping centre, nearby residents have warned of vigilantism to stop a surging crime wave.

Locals have banded together to rekindle a neighbourhood watch group following regular thefts of a bottle shop at Blakeview Shopping Centre and opportunistic criminals snatching from cars and shops.

Shannon Peake, who has lived at Blake’s Crossing for three years, recently had his car stolen in the same week it happened to three of his neighbours.

Mr Peake, who has worked in security and trains security dogs under his company Corinthian Kennels, said he had taken to patrolling the streets with his German shepherd Tink.

He said criminals were getting so brazen they would try to break into cars while residents were watching and one even posted about the theft of his car on social media.

Blake's Crossing resident Shannon Peake, who owns Corinithian Kennels, sits with his dog Tink next to the car that was stolen from his driveway. Picture: Brinley Duggan

Blake’s Crossing Neighbourhood Watch member and aspiring councillor Russell Davies said he had lived in the area since it was first developed and the amount of criminal activity was as high as he had ever seen.

“It’s getting to a point where it’s dire,” he said.

”People are walking into BWS stealing cartons of alcohol, which has happened regularly over the last few weeks.

“People are getting really concerned for their safety and their property.

“(It’s) making people too scared to go out and that’s not how a community is meant to be.”

Pictures show youths who are alleged to have stolen a slab of booze from a store while locals have reported vandalism to public property, anti-social behaviour and having their houses broken into.

The community outcry comes in the wake of a Blakeview woman describing the moment she was returning to her car from the shopping centre when she was coward punched in a random attack.

Jess DeWet, 38, was left concussed and traumatised after the incident that made her consider how her children would survive without their mother.

She said the attack had made her second-guess her safety living in Blakeview.

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

Blakeview woman Jess DeWet, who says she was "coward punched" while walking to her car, with her children. Picture: Supplied

A nearby shop worker said groups of “trouble makers” were congregating in the area and estimated one in three were wearing home detention bracelets.

Another member of the Neighbourhood Watch group, who chose not to be named, said inactivity from police and a lack of awareness was threatening a boilover.

“It’ll get to a point where the people it’s impacting will do something,” he said. “There’s plenty of residents getting fed up.”

City of Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty told The Messenger locals had raised concerns about crime in the area.

“City of Playford wants residents to feel safe in their community,” he said.

“Council raises concerns with SAPOL about safety across the city as required.”

Mr Docherty said he had participated in meetings with SA Police and provided feedback about the community’s outcry.

An SA Police spokesperson warned against people taking the law into their own hands while also confirming they had not noted an increase in criminal activity in the area.

In the second half of last year there were 272 recorded crimes in Blakeview and in the previous 12 months there were 518.

The spokesperson said police would only be able to develop an accurate “local intelligence picture” that could note an increase in criminal activity if community members reported suspicious or anti-social behaviour when it occurred.

When asked if he would step in amid concerns from the community Police Minister Joe Szakacs said he “trusted the hard work of SAPOL” and encouraged residents to make reports of suspicious behaviour.

“I am in constant communication with SAPOL and have been advised the community is being engaged with the manage reported incidents,” he said.