Playford councillor moves to address Blakeview, Blakes Crossing crime wave

Amid what residents say is an unprecedented crime wave, a councillor is pushing SA Police to address a glaring issue in a northern suburb that has gone unsolved for months.

Playford Council is set to approach South Australia Police in an attempt to curb a crime wave that has swept one of its suburbs for at least seven months.

Councillor Stephen Coppins asked the council to formalise a request to the Northern District Police Local Service Area Superintendent about major concerns arising from crime at Blakeview and Blakes Crossing.

Mr Coppins, the ward’s councillor, told The Messenger residents had long been expressing apprehension about the state of their suburb.

“I’ve heard from a number of residents about safety issues where they’re frightened to go out of their house after about 5.30pm when the sun goes down,” Mr Coppins said.

“They’re frightened to let their kids go down to the park and have a kick of the ball.

Playford Councillor Stephen Coppins. Picture: Facebook

“It’s concerning for me as one of the ward councillors, and the residents are concerned almost to the point of taking the law into their own hands, which isn’t the greatest result.”

Mr Coppins’ introduced a motion to the Playford Council agenda of July 26 on the back of the reports he was hearing.

In May The Messenger exposed a worrying crime wave that saw residents threatening vigilante justice and undertaking crime patrols as criminal activity ran rampant.

Their worries were solidified after an unsuspecting single mother was coward punched in a terrifying broad-daylight attack out the front of the Blakes Crossing shopping centre.

Two months later residents again expressed their concern with the mother of a teenage boy living with Asperger’s describing a crude assault on her son that left him with a broken nose after being threatened with a knife.

Blakeview resident Sarah Louise attempted to confront a motorcyclist who crashed into her car on Mansfield Parade. Picture: Supplied

Mr Coppins said he introduced the motion to show leadership on the issue regarding the concerns.

“I strongly believe as a council we have to show a bit of leadership on this issue, hence putting this motion forward and providing a bit of weight behind the residents concerns,” he said.

“I don’t think any resident needs to be living in fear, and I think that’s a pretty poor scenario for anybody.”

Near identical motions were recently carried by the council regarding hoon driving at nearby suburb Eyre and criminal activity at Andrews Farm.

When SA Police was asked if they would increase their presence at Blakeview a spokesman did not directly respond.

“SAPOL regularly assess community safety priorities when determining its resource deployments.” he said.