By Jessica Anstice
Following a string of burglaries and break ins in Emerald and surrounding towns, a concerned resident is calling on the State Government to implement a larger police presence.
Macclesfield Road resident, Mark Stanley, has launched an online petition to gain Minister for Police Lisa Neville’s attention with demands for extra cops to manage areas up in the Hills.
With police stations in Emerald and Monbulk closing at 5pm each day, Mr Stanley said the Hills have been under-policed and protected for many years.
“I want to bring to her (Minister Neville) attention that you can’t just build a $10m largely unmanned police station in Emerald for the past six years and expect the community to feel safe from scumbags stealing from their properties, robbing their homes and sheds blind, while the closest police response is 40 minutes away,” he explained.
“I’ve created a petition to make our State Government aware that we here, in the Hills, are falling through the cracks in regard to policing and protection.
“Whether it’s local businesses opening in the morning to find that scum have broken in during the night and raided their shop and stealing equipment, or tradies pulling 12 hour days only to find their tools robbed off the back of the ute, or farmers going out to the shed first thing in the morning to see the scum have robbed their tools of trade. This has gone on for long enough out here.”
The petition calls for more patrols, quicker attendances and response times in order to keep the small communities safe.
As of Tuesday morning, the petition had almost 850 signatures from community members, along with hundreds of messages of support.
“We are moving back to the area, and this stations should be operational, not just a display,” one petition signee wrote.
Another person wrote, “It is very obvious that our under-policed areas have become targets for burglary and other antisocial behaviour.
“There is very much a feeling that we are left to fend for ourselves in times of need.”
In the past week, two known burglaries have occurred around the same area.
The first incident was on Wednesday 22 July, when a group of thieves forced entry into Mr Stanley’s home music studio and stole a keyboard.
The second crime occurred the following night, on Thursday 23 July, where three offenders were caught on CCVT footage pinching up to $5000 worth of work tools from a private shed in Avonsleigh.
“There are no patrols in Gembrook, Cockatoo, Emerald, Avonsleigh, Macclesfield and Clematis to protect residents and businesses constantly being broken into by these scumbags,” Mr Stanley said.
“There are rarely police protecting our community unless they are called here for an issue. We have to rely on Lilydale, Belgrave or Pakenham for assistance – 25 minutes away at best.
“I want the Emerald station manned with officers who have time to talk, not tell me via intercom ‘we’re closed’ and I want single mums or anyone else defenceless in the community to know cops will be there in less than 40 minutes.”
To sign the petition, go to: https://www.change.org/p/minister-lisa-neville-better-policing-in-the-hills?recruiter=558013460&recruited_by_id=28995db0-344b-11e6-80a5-ef6bff96417d&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=petition_dashboard
