‘We don’t feel safe in our town anymore’, says business owner

‘WE are physically and emotionally fed up’. That’s the message business owner Darren Clark has for government leaders and our authorities in the midst of what he says is a crime wave

Wicked Kneads owner Darren Clark is fed up with crime in Alice Springs. Picture: Emma Murray

‘WE are physically and emotionally fed up’.

That’s the message Alice Springs business owner Darren Clark has for the town’s leaders in the midst of our latest crime wave.

After a weekend that saw five stolen cars reported to police and across Central Australia, the owner of Wicked Kneads believes the Alice Springs public no longer feel safe in their own town and is demanding change.

“We’re fed up. I’m personally fed up and tired. Mentally tired, physically tired from having to deal with it and I’m sick of sitting around my business or around town and watching crimes unfold,” Clark said.

“I’ve seriously had enough. I’m sick of seeing other businesses being hit, whether it be a private business, corporation or local sporting club or supermarket.

“Something has got to be done. We need a change in policy, we need a change in legislation, we need to do whatever it takes to fix this.”

In an effort to seek change, Clark has created a Facebook group where locals can share their experience with crime called Action for Alice 2020.

The group, which has garnered over 500 likes since Sunday, is only part of a movement Clark said that is aiming to put pressure on Alice Springs’ leaders to act now before something drastic occurs.

“What I’ve found since I started this page and people have contacted me, there is so much crime out there that you don’t hear about. This stuff has come in flat out,” Clark said.

“Someone is going to get hurt or killed here shortly, it’s going to happen.

“Let’s prevent that, let’s not wait for that because it is going to happen, whether it’s the offender or victim.

“We need our leaders to stand up and they’re not standing up, no one is.

“We’ve got an election coming up, so candidates are floating around everywhere getting their pictures taken. What are they saying?

“Are they sitting down with victims finding out more so they can do something about it? They all say they’re listen so where’s the action?

“That’s what Action for Alice 2020 is all about. We now want to put pressure on everyone. It’s not for us to come up with a solution, it’s up to our leaders.

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“The first priority of government is the safety of its people, and we don’t feel safe.

“That effects a lot of things. It effects people’s mental states, it effects business which in turn effects the economy.

“It effects tourism, population growth.

“All the key things for government are effected so whatever money they’re throwing into these areas, they're wasting it because we don’t have a safe environment to live in or an environment to conduct business.”

***The Centralian Advocate urges people to report crime to police first before posting on social media***