St Kilda drug-dealing payphone needs to go off the hook for good, police and neighbours say

A PAYPHONE believed to be the drug dealing hub of a notorious St Kilda crime hotspot will stay where it is, despite demands that Telstra remove it.

A PAYPHONE thought to be the headquarters of an “Uber for drugs” operation in St Kilda will stay despite demands for Telstra to remove it.

It comes as authorities work to quash rising crime and anti-social behaviour in surrounding streets, including installing security staff at the gates of the notorious Regal boarding house.

Friends of St Kilda Hill convener Darren Robinson told the Leader at least three people in the group had asked Telstra to remove the phone booth on Dalgety St because they had witnessed drug dealers using it to “peddle their wares”.

Phone numbers scrawled inside the booth were being used to “source drugs”, Mr Robinson said.

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“There are mobile phone numbers stuck inside and people go in there, ring up that number and get drugs,” he said.

“There are a lot of people on bikes with backpacks — it’s like an ‘Uber for drugs’ service.

The push has been backed by police, with Inspector Jason Kelly confirming the phonebooth had become a hub of “suspected illegal drug activity”.

Last month Victoria Police wrote to the telecommunications giant asking for the phone to be removed.

But in its reply, seen by the Leader, Telstra refused the request citing increased usage, including eight calls to 000 in the past 12 months.

“A review of the payphone usage shows it to be the fourth highest used payphone in the St Kilda area … (and) there are currently no plans for its removal or relocation,” the response said.

Nearby Little Grey St St Kilda is a notorious meeting point for drug dealers and users.

But Mr Robinson said dodgy deals done on the phone and its high usage rates were likely linked.

“It’s an obscure location for a phone so it’s interesting it would be fourth highest usage in St Kilda,” he said.

“They generally ride up and down footpaths on nondescript bikes and I’ve seen them dealing drugs on the street.”

Port Phillip Inspector Jason Kelly would not comment specifically on the alleged drug-dealing scheme, but said the phone booth was “a place of interest” for police.

Insp Kelly said regular patrols of the area would continue and Victoria Police would investigate other ways it could work with Telstra to curb crime around the phone booth.

“We know it’s an area of drug activity and we’re patrolling it and we have made a number of successful arrests,” he said.

In its response to Victoria Police, the telco said the issues raised by police were “out of Telstra’s control”.

“Your staff (police) may wish to conduct increased patrols of the site if all the illegal activities you stated is actually happening,” the letter said.

Evidence of drug use a short walk from the Grey St phone booth.

“Telstra would be happy to work with the police in placing stickers inside the cabinet advising users that ‘this payphone is under increased surveillance’ or similar as a crime deterrent.”

The Leader first raised the alarm about issues in the Little Grey St precinct in February, prompting authorities to boost safety in the area, including upping police patrols, installing CCTV cameras, and stationing 24-hour security outside the troubled Regal rooming house.

Insp Kelly said these measures, which also include street alcohol bans, had started to “pay dividends”, with statistics showing crimes against property and people in Port Phillip had dropped in the last 12 months.

Telstra did not respond to the Leader’s request for comment.

Anyone who sees anything suspicious should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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