Ballina Shire Councillor Rod Bruem on increase in North Coast youth crime, break-ins
A Ballina Shire Councillor has spoken up about the “worrying” increase in break-ins and youth crime in the Northern Rivers - while police urge the public to check their CCTV footage. Here’s the latest.
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A Ballina Shire councillor has spoken up about the “worrying” increase in break-ins and youth crime in the seaside towns of Cumbalum and East Ballina.
This comes as police appeal to the public for CCTV footage after an increase of crime in the region.
There have been several reported break and enters, attempted break and enters and car thefts from last Friday to Monday across the Ballina Shire.
Ballina Shire councillor Rod Bruem said it’s very “worrying” that crimes are continuing despite the number of arrests made over the past couple of months.
He said house break-ins were of “great concern to residents”, especially for the elderly and those who live alone.
Cr Bruem said he knew a local woman who didn’t feel safe in her home alone.
“It’s terrible to think that’s what it has come to,” he said.
Cr Bruem said residents were concerned there are “insufficient police out doing patrols” and while he had respect for the officers working hard to deal with the problem, he hoped to see more police in the region.
“It’s a huge concern particularly in Cumbalum because it’s a reasonably big community a distance from downtown Ballina,” Cr Bruem said.
“It takes police time when there is a report of criminal activity and that worries people.”
Last month around 200 people met in Ballina to address the issue of escalating young crime and violence.
Residents shared harrowing stories of being attacked in their own homes, having their cars stolen and property damaged or destroyed.
In March the Minns Labor government introduced legislation to amend the laws that would make it harder for teenagers to get bail and would criminalise “posting and boasting” about offences on social media.
He also brought in a $26.2m package of initiatives to address youth crime in regional NSW.
However, at the Ballina meeting many believed the laws surrounding youth crime are “too soft” and the Premier’s reforms were “not enough” to reduce youth offending.
Over the past six months Ballina has seen close to a 100 per cent increase in break in and steal offences compared to the same time period last year.
“February was our busiest month with 33 break in and steal incidents occurring and approximately 40 per cent of those happened on premises that were unlocked,” Ballina’s Detective Chief Inspector Bill McKenna APM said.
In a bid to decrease crime the Ballina Shire Council signed off on funding a scooping study for CCTV cameras in CBD areas, which already exists in Casino and Lismore.
“So it’s overdue in Ballina,” Mr Bruem said.
“We have a lot of seniors in our community and as you get older you tend to worry more, that’s human.”
Police are urging the public, even those who remain unaffected, to review their CCTV footage to aid officers in identifying suspects of crimes.
Call Ballina Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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