Recent spate of crime in Alice Springs has seen business owner undertake new safety policies

ALICE Springs business owners have had to take extreme measures to protect their livelihoods

Alice Springs Town Councillor and Managing Director at E. G. Melky & Sons Real Estate, Eli Melky, said dangerous street activity on Tuesday night was the "final straw" for him and he wants to see action on crime.

ALICE Springs business owners have had to take extreme measures to protect their livelihoods from young thieves and assailants.

The recent spate of crime and anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs has seen business owner Eli Melky undertake new approaches to ensure staff safety.

Managing director at E. G. Melky Sons Real Estate, Mr Melky, said he has implemented policy changes in his workforce to ensure the safety of his staff, and was considering a new locking system.

MORE CENTRALIAN NEWS

Jacinta Price appointed new deputy mayor of Alice Springs

‘I’m strongest when in the bush’: Gwoja MLA Chansey Paech reveals aspirations for Central Australia

New locally-created app teaches Alice Springs’ first language, Arrernte

“It’s caused us to now consider locking our doors and having manual access to customers,” Mr Melky said.

“From an employer’s point of view we’ve cancelled all meetings after 5pm. Anything after 5pm is no longer acceptable for the safety of my staff.

“We no longer allow one individual to walk from our office to the CBD on their own.”

Alice Springs Town Councillor and Managing Director at E. G. Melky & Sons Real Estate, Eli Melky, said dangerous street activity on Tuesday night was the "final straw" for him and he wants to see action on crime.

Mr Melky said as property agents, the business receives about five reports from tenants daily that someone’s car has been broken into, as well as regular calls from tenants after their homes have been broken into, often while they are home.

“On two occasions we’ve had to go and put a lock on the inside of a bedroom door,” Mr Melky said.

He said a group of fights and cars revving and hooning down the CBD on Tuesday night was the “final straw”.

“The level of activity was off the chart,” Mr Melky said.

CENTRALIAN ADVOCATE digital subscription offer: Full digital access for just $1 a week for the first 12 weeks

“It was like a celebration of, ‘We’ve conquered the town’.”

But, Mr Melky said during the COVID-19 lockdown, the town was “really safe”.

“The solution is … locking down the town for a period of at least four to six weeks, where people understand you’ll be stopped at the entrance of town unless you have legitimate reasons for being here, be it medical, visiting family, shopping or otherwise. We need to lock the town down because it worked during COVID.”