SA Police leave the public in the dark as suburban crime reports roll in

Serious crimes against people and property are being reported to police across Adelaide. But the public will never hear about many of them.

Serious crimes against people and property in suburbs across South Australia are being reported, but neighbours are unaware because police aren’t making them public.

An analysis of the latest available crime data shows there were 319 serious assaults resulting in injuries and 43 aggravated robberies across the state in September.

There were a combined total of 143 offences across Gilberton, Walkerville, Medindie, Prospect and St Peters – the area around the home of Dr Michael Yung, who was fatally attacked at his Gilberton home on Monday morning.

However, SA Police made no public statements relating to the incidents in those five suburbs in September, a review of public statements shows.

As a youth gang taskforce joins the large-scale investigation into the brutal alleged home invasion, official crime figures reveal multiple offences against the person and property had been reported in the area.

Offences included aggravated robbery and serious criminal trespass of residences – or break-and-enter crimes – as well as vehicle thefts.

Police release information as part of an appeal for help from the public and as an investigative tool and not all incidents are alerted through media statements.

Prospect was the hardest hit with 86 offences in the one month, with thieves targeting shops the most commonly reported crime with 24 offences.

Police launched appeals for information on fatal crashes across the state and heavily promoted recruitment initiatives for more officers.

The Advertiser spoke with residents and workers across Prospect, Walkerville and Gilberton about local crime.

They said incidents ranging from people smashing shopfronts and stealing items, to public nuisance offences, had occurred intermittently.

One worker in Walkerville said their home CCTV recorded two people wearing masks inside their property two weeks ago. The intruders broke into the yard and ran off when disturbed.

Sussex Hotel on-duty manager James Dwyer said the pub on Walkerville Tce had been spared any incidents in the past year, but noted various criminal groups had on occasion moved through the area.

“We make a point of getting to know people who come to the hotel,” he said.

Another worker in Prospect said a glass panel at the front of their store was smashed, and a bottle shop across the street had been broken into.

CCTV shows a gang of up to five people trying to break into homes in the hours before the home invasion at Dr Michael Yung's home on James St in Gilberton.

Official figures show in Prospect there was one serious assault on a person that resulted in an injury, and another five with no injuries.

There were a further five common assault incidents reported to police, and four breakins of both homes and businesses.

Thirteen vehicles were stolen, and there were 24 thefts from shops.

One suburb away in Walkerville, police figures reveal there was one minor assault, and one business trespass, as well as four reports of theft from a shop.

In neighbouring Gilberton there was one reported common assault, and two aggravated robberies in September, as well as three serious criminal trespass incidents at residences. One vehicle theft was also reported.

Two cars were stolen in Medindie, while another three vehicles had items stolen from them. Of five offences in St Peters, one was a common assault and three were shop thefts.