‘Nuts’: Locals fed up after crime spree caught on tape

Two youths, reportedly “well known” in town, smashed shop windows with a hammer, stole alcohol and raided the cash tills at businesses in South West Rocks, prompting fresh calls for bail reform.

A coastal NSW community has been hit by another crime spree over the weekend, with cash stolen and a number of businesses vandalised with a hammer.

Two youths, who locals claim are “well known” in town, smashed windows at a cafe, restaurant, multiple retailers and a tobacconist in South West Rocks, stealing money, alcohol and clothing across several venues.

It comes only months after The Daily Telegraph travelled to the town, five hours north of Sydney, to hear from residents “living in fear” after suffering home invasions, car thefts and vandalism. Many of the individuals who spoke to this masthead were retirees from Sydney and Brisbane.

CCTV captured on early Sunday morning shows thieves aggressively whacking shop fronts with a hammer. During the 12-minute video, two people can be seen and heard bashing windows and attempting to break into stores. At one point - one of the offenders is heard saying: “hit it, hit it... give it one big bash” before the other walks up and smashes the glass.

A crime spree in South West Rocks has seen windows smashed, cash stolen and businesses vandalised by two local offenders.

Separate footage from inside a local restaurant documents two youths looting the cash till. The thieves fled the scene after an alarm was triggered at a different venue.

One of the businesses targeted has confirmed the children stole a tip jar, some “loose money” and bottles of liquor, while some of their equipment was destroyed.

The owner - who asked not to be named - revealed they had now been “hit six times” and had windows replaced on three occasions. “It’s so unfair. Either we pay the cost of the damage or our insurance premiums go up again” they said.

In a statement shared on social media the Pink Elephant Coffee and Deli also confirmed it had been broken into. They said: “it makes us feel so sad for our town, what is happening around here.”

A separate store owner - who arrived on the scene at 4am to board up broken shop windows told The Daily Telegraph: “It’s nuts. It’s out of control. We all know the kids involved but nothing is being done about it. People are walking around town wondering what on earth is going on. The police are doing their best but the laws are letting us down.”

The police station in town is regularly unattended, which is all the incentive potential criminals need. Source: Supplied

Compounding their frustration is the police station in town, which is regularly unattended, with residents attempting to report crimes forced to push a red buzzer to contact officers in Kempsey, roughly 35 kilometres away.

In a statement regarding the break-ins at South West Rocks on Sunday morning, NSW Police confirmed they had “commenced an investigation into the incident.”

Michael Kemp, the state MP for Oxley, said his community “was fed up with a soft touch” and urged the State Labor Government to further tighten bail laws for youth offenders.

“How young offenders keep getting bail is beyond me. If the Premier and his Attorney General (Michael Daley) were facing these crimes daily, like we are in the regions, they would be doing something tangible like making it harder for repeat offenders to get bail” Mr Kemp said.

Member for Oxley, Michael Kemp has demanded the Minns Government further strengthen the bail laws for youth offenders. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

The Minns Government recently extended an amendment in the Bail Act which includes an additional test for young people between 14 and 18 charged with certain serious offences.

However, multiple locals in South West Rocks believed some of the thieves involved in recent criminal activities appeared to be younger than 14.

A petition to strengthen bail laws in NSW has attracted more than 8,000 signatures.