Katherine Town Council to close ‘break-in hotspot’ laneways amid Alice effect
A Territory town concerned with a migration of crime from Alice Springs is set to close several ‘break-in hot spots’. Here’s their plan.
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A regional Territory town is taking steps to prevent a crime spike while the nation’s attention continues to focus on Alice Springs.
Katherine Town Council will close five of its laneways and “break-in hot spots” in response to residents feeling “scared and intimidated in their own homes”.
It comes as the NT Police Commissioner said people had fled Alice Springs and travelled north following snap alcohol restrictions and a heavy police presence.
Katherine’s eastern laneways Fordham Court to Maluka Drain, Hudspeth Place to Maluka Drain, Frangipanni Courtto Maluka Drain, Acacia Drive to Maluka Drain, and Sandalwood Crescent to Maluka Drain will close in late March.
Katherine mayor Elisabeth Clark said the trial would run for six months and followed examples set in Darwin and Palmerston.
“Unfortunately, these laneways are used more for anti-social behaviour than as a walkway,” she said.
“People escape police by running down them.
“It means people will have to walk along streets where it is well lit.
“We have listened to residents who have been scared and intimidated in their own homes and if successful, we’ll look at other laneways in Katherine.”
NT Police data shows commercial break-ins in Katherine have risen 133 per cent in the year to December 2022.
House break-ins rose 50 per cent in the same period, while sexual assaults made for the biggest increase at 143 per cent.
Ms Clark said she was “absolutely worried” about increasing crime in Katherine, particularly following a migration of Alice Springs locals.
“I have been saying over and over again we need to have the same restrictions across the board,” she said.
“You get crime displacement as people just move to the next area.”
Ms Clark said many Katherine locals had taken up a free Victims of Crime home security assessment.
The government-funded program is open to any Territorian concerned about a break-in, while particularly vulnerable residents may be eligible for financial support to improve their home security.
Darwin mayor Kon Vatskalis has joined Ms Clark’s calls for greater alcohol restrictions to roll out in the Top End.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has not ruled out that similar restrictions would be announced for other Territory towns.
“We have measures that are in place across the Territory, and then we also work to have local measures,” she said.
“We absolutely will work with community to put in place those solutions and will continue to do so.
“My government always looks at ways to better the lives all of Territorians, the residents of Katherine are not forgotten.”
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