Melbourne crime: Private security firms patrol streets to stop residential burglaries

Melbourne residents are pooling their money and hiring private security guards to patrol the streets and combat crime. See which suburbs have dedicated patrol vehicles.

Fearful residents are pooling their money to pay for private security patrols to stop criminals breaking into their homes.

In neighbourhoods across Melbourne, people have hired 24-hour security to patrol housing estates and streets.

Body corporate groups are spending up to $170,000 a year for security guards.

Residents employing their own patrols outside the bigger ­estates can fork out $500 to $3000 a night in total depending on the number of guards and patrol vehicles.

Wyndham Vale’s Jubilee ­estate, home to 3000 properties, has introduced 24/7 ­patrols in response to a spike in aggravated burglaries and car thefts.

A man wearing a hoodie is filmed trying to break into a house in Jubilee estate, Wyndham Vale.

Hawthorn firm ART Security has begun guarding neighbourhoods in eastern suburbs such as Camberwell, Hawthorn, Kew, Toorak, Brighton, Caulfield and Balwyn.

Its chief strategy officer ­Anthony Schaepman said the demand was unsurprising given the shortages of police.

“With the lack of police enforcement resources I am not surprised residents are looking and considering all ­options to protect their homes and families from theft,” he said.

“There is certainly a trend in the market for residents ­requesting and inquiring about nightly patrol services, and a huge request for CCTV systems.

Residents are pooling their money to pay for private security patrols. Picture: Ian Currie

“Houses are unfortunately broken into and it appears even in broad daylight.

“The break-ins in those areas are mainly targeting luxury cars and jewellery.”

Police figures show the number of aggravated burglaries by youths in suburbs such as Kew, Toorak, Balwyn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Glen Iris and Hawthorn grew from 83 in 2017 to 209 last year.

A 24/4 patrol officer is stationed at one eastern suburbs housing estate of about 1300 properties where every home is fitted with the same monitored alarm system.

Tyre marks left on a street by an alleged car thief. Picture: Supplied

CCTV footage seen by the Herald Sun shows a young man attempting to gain entry into a home by using a baseball bat on the front door.

Youths have also been caught trying to unlock cars on the street, some riding from car to car on electric scooters to find unlocked vehicles.

A resident living in a security patrolled estate who had her car broken into said she feared thieves would return.

“The miserable person who did it didn’t leave anything ­behind including kids’ jackets, my purse and medication,” she said. “I’m worried they will try and get into my house next; I lock everything but if they can get in my car how can I be sure they won’t get in my house?”

The latest crime data shows car thefts across the state rose 18 per cent on last year, and police charged 216 people with burglary in three months.

A Victoria Police spokesman said it had a “dedicated citywide operation in place” against aggravated burglaries and car thefts.

Since March 25 a bolstered nightly police response had led to 813 arrests including 216 for burglaries and car thefts, the spokesman said.