Tourism takes hit on back of Centralian crime surge as business owner slams criminals

As crime increases across Alice Springs, a fed-up business owner wants some tough decisions made to ensure the community is protected from out-of-control youth gangs.

BUSINESSES in Alice Springs are copping the biggest brunt of crime in the town, with commercial break-ins surging by 68 per cent in the past year.

Thrifty Car Rental Central Australian manager Steve Shearer puts a human face to the recent police statistics that showed significant increases in break-ins and thefts in the town.

While he acknowledges there is a place for long-term solutions to youth crime, he also wants “immediate responses” to complement the “big picture” solutions being outlined by policymakers.

Over three consecutive nights this month, gangs of youths have thrown rocks over the vehicle hire business’ two-metre plus security fence and smashed car windscreens parked on the other side.

Mr Shearer understands there is a need to focus on long-term solutions to crime, particularly among disaffected Aboriginal youth, but said there was also a need for action now.

“The other night there was a ruckus and the kids were taunting the one policeman present to catch them,” Mr Shearer said.

“When he followed them over the fence they jumped back again. They were just laughing at him.

“What’s happened … is just blatant vandalism. They weren’t trying to break-in, they were just smashing it.

“These kids, some of them don’t look 10 years old and they’re on the streets all night.

Steve Shearer manager of Thrifty Car Rental in Alice Springs

“I’ve been here at three in the morning and there are groups of screaming kids running around the centre of Alice Springs. It appears to me there are no consequences so even when kids get caught nothing happens to them.

“They’re slapped on the wrist and sent home, in fact they’re more than likely escorted home.

“I understand the generational thing and I understand we totally need a big picture approach but we also need an immediate approach.

“We need dog patrols around here to stop these kids owning the streets.”

Aside from the immediate impacts of crime, Mr Shearer says there’s an economic flow-on. Not only are the damaged vehicles out of action for tourists while being repaired, the town’s reputation as a visitor centre takes a hit when incidents are widely reported on social media.

All crime categories in Alice Springs increased in the past year with the exception of sexual assaults, which were down 12.9 per cent.

Commercial break-ins endured the biggest surge, climbing from 436 in 2020-21 to 733 in 2021-22.

Motor vehicle theft was up 44.1 per cent from 322 to 464 and property damage was up 30.23 per cent from 2213 to 2882. Assaults were the second-largest crime cohort, increasing to 2186 from 1913, a rise of 14.27 per cent.

Tourism Central Australia chief executive Danial Rochford said Alice Springs was heading into peak tourist and events season and that incidents’ such as the Thrifty vandalism were virtually a nightly occurrence.

“This is really disappointing and we’re hearing things like this on almost a nightly basis in terms of impacting businesses in the CBD,” Mr Rochford said.

“We’re extremely concerned at how this is playing out in terms of the perception of our town to potential visitors.

“There’s no doubt the feedback we’re receiving is that people are very concerned about safety in the town, and this is now being picked up on social media and travel blogs about Alice Springs.

“There’s a lot of talk about support, but that rubber needs to hit the road and it needs to hit the road now.”