Brighton dad calls for home security rebate to combat youth crime

A Brighton businessman who chased a group of teenage thugs from his home is calling on the state government to implement a home security rebate to combat Victoria’s youth crime wave.

A Brighton businessman is calling on the state government to offer a home security rebate to combat youth crime.

A Brighton businessman who chased a group of teenage thugs from his home during an aggravated burglary says the state government should implement a home security rebate to combat Victoria’s youth crime wave.

South Rd resident Rhys said his sophisticated home security system notified him that the four teens were inside his home before he confronted them about 5am Tuesday.

The Bayside father, who was at home with his young family, scared four teenagers — one as young as 14 — from his double-storey home where they fled in an allegedly stolen car.

But he said the state and federal government needed to implement short-term solutions while they figured out how to best combat the epidemic in the long run.

He said a rebate system — similar to the solar panel rebate on offer in Victoria — that supplies CCTV systems would be an easy way to protect homes in the short-term.

A Brighton businessman is calling on the state government to offer refunds for homeowners who install security equipment to fight youth crime.

“I don’t think it’s unreasonable for the state or federal government to allow a one-off tax deductible home surveillance payment,” he said.

“Some of these security measures are relatively inexpensive now through ring cameras and that’s why the rebates don’t have to be huge.

“You look at the solar rebate which is about $1400, and the cost of a ring camera is about $300, so you can get yourself four or five ring cameras and all of a sudden you’ve got a reasonable defence network.

“It could either be covered by the government or it could be a personal tax deduction (which) is an easy one too, coming into tax time.

“It’s just low hanging fruit for the state or federal government to fix this, I think it would be met so positively with consumers.”

There has been a rise in youth crime in Victoria.

Rhys said his advanced home security system alerted him to the fact the thugs were inside his home before they were able to steal any valuables.

“A motion detection alert went off to say that someone was inside our property and moving around,” he recalled.

“I could see on the camera exactly where they were looking to enter, what they looked like and how many there were, so we chose to respond by chasing after them.

“Once they realised we were up and coming towards them, I think they just bailed straight away.

“We called the police within seconds and they were there within minutes, they were also highly motivated, they were just so good.”

Police allege the crew inside his home fled in an already stolen Volkswagen Golf before allegedly reaching speeds in excess of 150km/h across the eastern suburbs.

Officers tracked the four teens — who met up with a fifth — and arrested them near Rowville on Tuesday morning.