Burwood police station hit by vandals as Opposition vows to restore service
A DERELICT former police station in Burwood has been hit by vandals again, with the state Opposition declaring it would re-open the defunct site in an anti-crime pledge.
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A DERELICT former police station has become a crime magnet in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, the state Opposition claims.
The defunct Burwood police station, on a corner of Scott Grove and Burwood Highway, would be reopened under a $2 million crime-busting pledge by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy.
The run-down station was this week again hit by vandals.
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Liberal Member for Burwood Graham Watt said obscene graffiti appeared faster than it could be removed.
“The locals are telling me they’re concerned about this leading to an increase in crime,” Mr Watt said.
“We do need to have more police out on the beat but residents need to know they can go down to a police station and report crimes when they happen.”
Opposition police spokesman Ed O’Donohue said the station, closed in mid-2015, had become a magnet for anti-social behaviour.
“It says a lot that criminals feel emboldened to attack and vandalise a police station,” he said.
Police Minister Lisa Neville accused the Opposition of misleading the public.
“When it comes to community safety you can’t trust the Liberals,” she said.
“When they were in government they didn’t fund a single additional police officer and they cut frontline justice staff, and now they’re lying about Burwood police station.”
However, Mr O’Donohue said closing police stations in the area was shortsighted.
“This station has been left derelict under Daniel Andrews,” he said.
“The local community is growing, it’s near Deakin University, we believe (Burwood police station) should be opened and that will happen.”
Mr O’Donohue would not say whether he supported a 24-hour station.
“We would work with the chief commissioner to see the Burwood police station open at regular predictable hours, so it’s accessible and able to serve the community as required,” he said.
The Herald Sun understands the building is plagued with issues and would need a major renovation to be fit for purpose.
Victoria’s crime rate has dropped significantly in the past 12 months.
The Crime Statistics Agency revealed this week that crime was down 8.8 per cent in the year to March 31, with a 16.9 per cent decrease in Boroondara.
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