Cops move to reassure residents after Kingscliff crime spree

Police say they are targeting criminals in 'saturation style' operations.

Tweed Byron Police Superintendent David Roptell. Picture: Scott Powick

A CRIME spree which has seen scores of homes and vehicles broken into at Kingscliff and Casuarina has seen police move to reassure residents they are doing their best to lock up offenders.

Kingscliff and Casuarina have been the main targets of a spate of thefts as criminals take advantage of unlocked cars and homes to steal anything they can get their hands on.

Late last month, the crime spree peaked as four cars were stolen in one weekend, including two Audi sedans, while police reported 21 stealing offences from homes and vehicles.

The thefts saw the Tweed Byron Police District engage in a targeted crackdown named Operation Titan which aimed to disrupt crime with 25 police officers deployed in a "high visibility operation from Tweed Heads to Byron Bay".

Officers made checks on sex offenders, licensed premises, defendants on bail and those on apprehended violence orders "to ensure compliance with specific conditions, to reduce crime and keep the community safe".

Tweed Byron Police District Superintendent David Roptell told the Tweed Daily News the "saturation style operation" would continue to run on a regular basis.

"The operation is looking at our volume of crime and reassuring the public and community that we're out and about for their safety," he said.

"It addresses the offences occurring down in Kingscliff with property crime, to alcohol-related crime in Byron Bay, it's using my whole command's capability and saturating the entire region."

Supt Roptell said police were using daily crime reports and speaking with residents to gauge how to tackle the problem.

"We're taking the communities concerns on board and the police are focusing on that area.

"I'd like to reassure residents we are committed to ensuring their safety and their property is well looked after."