‘Embarrassment to the state’: Roger Winch stays up all night to film crime
A Mount Isa local is so worried about youth crime in his street has set up 13 security cameras and sleeps during the day so he can protect his property at night.
Police & Courts
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Everyone in Mount Isa knows Rodger Winch as the man with 13 security cameras on his home.
He’s the man on Abel Smith Parade capturing the youth crime as it unfolds along the well-known thoroughfare.
His cameras capture it all, from stolen cars knocking over light posts, to police attempting to intercept teens in vehicles, there’s no corner of the infamous street that isn’t captured.
His videos have amassed a following on social media and YouTube, racking up thousands of views to share a glimpse of what the community is going through to the rest of the state.
But in his 26 years living in the mining town, Mr Winch has never seen crime so bad.
“Day after day I see stolen cars,” Mr Winch said.
“It’s an embarrassment to the state allowing it to ever get to this stage, it’s an embarrassment to the community,” Mr Winch said.
Mr Winch spends most of his nights watching the cameras and sleeps during the day, sayin
g the cameras give him the ability to monitor what’s happening without “risking going out”.
His footage has even helped police with investigations, but his house has now become a target by kids throwing rocks on his roof and even trying to jump his fence.
“We live in what we call “The Bronx”... very high public housing, therefore there’s a lot of people that don’t have cars.
“It doesn’t take long to figure out which one the stolen car is. But they’re not just flaunting it, they’re basically saying they’re untouchable.”
Mr Winch said the community was sometimes misrepresented.
“People from outside Mount Isa look at us and it taints the whole town, but the people in town know it’s just a few small groups.”
But the stigma is hard to shake, with many grey nomads now publishing online to avoid Mount Isa after being repeatedly targeted by youth crime.
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