Residents now hiring security guards amid shocking youth crime rates

Fed up residents in Queensland are hiring private security to patrol their neighbourhoods as crime spirals.

As youth crime spirals across the country, communities from regional Queensland to some of Sydney and Melbourne’s leafiest suburbs to tourist spots such as Broome, are engaging teams of security guards to patrol their streets, homes and businesses.

In Sydney, residents of the up-market north shore suburb of Mosman were so sick of car thefts and home break-ins they hired a private security guard to patrol their neighbourhood.

Wrightway Security Services owner Moe Said said his guards are patrolling residential streets at night with the marked security vehicles which act as a deterrent.

Operations manager of Wrightway Security Services, Obaid Shahed, pictured at Mosman today where his team patrol the streets at night. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Mr Said said the guards look out for unusual or suspicious activities such as open garage doors and people loitering.

He said they also work together with the local police.

“It is giving residents peace of mind,” Mr Said said.

Scott Worlein left and his team are patrolling the streets of Ayr in regional Queensland. Picture Supplied.

Founder and owner of SRW Security Services Scott Worlein has been patrolling the streets of the Queensland town of Ayr and is now expanding his business into Cairns.

Mr Worlein said youth crime is getting out of control and as a result his “work has gone crazy”.

Youths caught on home security cameras breaking in/ – Photo Supplied,

He said there is an alarming trend of offenders who are caught, charged and bailed targeting the same place the next night as a get square.

“Once they are out the door again, the victim is being re-targeted,” Mr Worlein said.

He said he had elderly pensioners in the town who are afraid to sleep at night and so he often patrols their properties for free.

His patrol cars are all fitted with cameras and the security guards wear body-worn cameras as well which help police identify offenders.

Juvenile car thieves boast and taunt police on TikTok. Picture: supplied.

In some cities residents are so scared of becoming victims of crime they have hired private security guards to patrol their suburbs at night.

Across the Melbourne suburbs of Werribee and of Wyndam Vale, as well as up-scale suburbs including Hawthorne, Kew, Camberwell and Toorak, residents have paid for their own security patrols in the past year amid growing fears about the spike of youth crime.

Anthony Schaepman from ART Security in Melbourne. Picture Andrew Tauber

Melbourne ART Security’s chief strategy officer Anthony Schaepman said his company has experienced a big increase in demand for security patrols through neighbourhoods.

“There is also an uptick in demand for cameras, security systems and alarms that are monitored by centralised facilities which means you get a response from a patrolling vehicle,” Mr Schaepman said.

In the northwestern tourist spot of Broome, security guards have been hired as the town battles the out of control youth crime to guard public buildings including the library, the hospital and schools.

Originally published as Residents now hiring security guards amid shocking youth crime rates