Bankstown SES David Niven commander slams sandbag and barrier thieves
Thieves have been targeting flood-hit areas in southwest Sydney stealing sandbags and barriers used to keep homes and roads safe. Find out the shocking place authorities think they’re going.
The Express
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Thieves are risking lives stealing sandbags and barriers used to keep residents safe during the flash flooding in southwest Sydney.
Bankstown SES Commander David Niven said he has been serving the State Emergency Services for nearly 34 years and had never seen thefts like this before.
“The theft of 150 sandbags as soon as they were placed at Carinya Rd, Picnic Point, was done by “a not very ethical person,” Mr Niven told The Express.
“We dropped off around 300 bags at five different locations in the area the first time.
“We then went back and dropped off another 150 sandbags at Carinya Rd but these were stolen along with the pallets.
“We think it was taken for use at a construction site.”
He said around 15 of the 100 barriers provided by the Canterbury Bankstown Council to close off roads and areas, were also stolen at some locations.
Bankstown Police crime manager Detective Chief Inspector Darren Sly said several barriers were moved by “irresponsible drivers” causing cars to get stuck in flooded waters.
“We did have a number of incidents where irresponsible drivers, removed or moved traffic barriers which were set up to stop motorists entering flooded streets,” he said.
“The resulted in these motorists becoming stranded in flood waters and requiring rescuing, adding extra work for busy emergency service.”
A resident at Carinya Rd, Picnic Point, who did not want to be identified, said she noticed the sandbags were gone last Saturday.
“We were helping each other out when I noticed someone had stolen all the sandbags which had been left for the people on the street,” she said.
On Tuesday, Emergency Services Minister David Elliott and East Hills state Liberal MP Wendy Lindsay, along with local police and SES volunteers, met affected residents at Picnic Point.
Mr Niven, the commander of the Bankstown unit for 16 years, said the sandbags were filled by volunteers and contractors at their Bass Hill unit. Each bag weighs between 15-17kg.
“The bags are used to protect doors, garages and tarps on the roofs,” he said.
“The damages to the homes and properties of the people may have been reduced during the flooding if these sandbags had been there.
“The alleged actions go against the best interests of the community at a time when they are dealing with a significant weather event that has impacted on their lives and property.
“There has been a huge effort on the part of our volunteers and other emergency agencies to help the people impacted, including through the provision of these sandbags.”
Mr Niven said they will be handing over the details to the police.
He said Milperra and Chipping Norton (Liverpool) were the hardest hit by the storms and heavy rains which lashed southwest Sydney last weekend.
Picnic Point, Georges Hall and East Hills also suffered damage with the Bankstown SES unit handling more than 460 jobs todate.
The Georges River at Milperra bridge rose to 5.3m and exceeded the 1988 flood levels of 4.9m, Mr Niven said.
Mr Niven, who has more than 110 volunteers at his Bankstown unit, said they will be visiting the affected areas to meet the residents and offer them more help.