Wagga residents fearful after spate of car thefts in suburbs

A spate of car thefts and stealing from vehicles in suburban streets has many residents concerned. One victim speaks out about his experience.

Wagga resident Alen Basic says he is living in fear and considering moving from the area after his house was broken into last month.

Mr Basic told The Wagga News he and his wife were out around 4pm on a Saturday in early May when a thief broke into their house through a bathroom window, stealing his car keys - but not the car.

“It was quite shocking to be honest, to see somebody has come into my house and taken my car keys but not my electronics or the car; I was quite scared,” he said.

“It has made me think of where I want to live and I’m also now in the process of installing CCTV which I really don’t want to do.”

Mr Basic said there’d been a spate of car thefts and suspicious activity in the streets of his suburb of Glenfield, and surrounding suburbs, in recent weeks and wanted police to take more action.

“I would love to know what the police are doing in terms of stopping these incidents in the future,” he said.

Other residents with similar concerns have taken to social media, with some outlining incidents where their cars have been stolen, and then found torched and burnt out on the outskirts of Wagga.

There has been a spate of spate of car thefts and suspicious activity in Wagga’s suburbs over the last month. Picture: Supplied

One member of the Wagga Community Facebook page said: “Our house was broken into a month ago. Apparently eight vehicles were stolen the same weekend. We lost cash and a postie bike. (There were) three young fellas and they scooted when I confronted them.”

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research revealed that over two years (2019 to 2021) incidents of robbery without a weapon in Wagga were well above the state average; at 22.8 incidents per 100,000 population. The NSW average was 11.7 incidents per 100,000 population.

In the past week, officers from the Riverina Police District have responded to several incidents where items have been stolen from cars in Wagga, while two vehicles were stolen between 6pm on Wednesday May 25, and 4am on Thursday May 26.

Car theft is an issue in Wagga currently with police investigating a number of incidents. Picture: Patrick Morrow

The incidents occurred across several suburbs including Boorooma and Gobbagombalin.

Police would like to talk to two people captured on CCTV footage, walking southbound along Messenger Ave, Boorooma, around 2am on Thursday May 26.

The pair were also captured on CCTV around 3.30am walking northbound along Jumbuck Drive, Gobbagombalin.

For Mr Basic and his wife the ongoing incidents are of concern after the theft at their home, and they are worried they may be targeted again.

“I just hope this crime wave can drop and it comes in troughs and waves but we need to feel safe and secure in our own home,” he said.