Anti-crime scheme re-started

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 415, 3 December 1991, Page 7

Anti-crime scheme re-started

The firsi of a series of meetings aimed at reactivating the neighbourhood support scheme was held at Raetihi last Thursday, with 11 members of the public and two policemen attending. Information videos about how to set up a scheme were shown. The first was about the crime rate in Victoria, Australia and how places were targeted and deemed "ripe for picking" by burglars. The statistics showed that over a 12 month period 68,000 breaking and entering

incidents were reported, which was 1307 a week or one every 20 minutes. Since a Neighbourhood Watch scheme was instigated this rate decreased by 60% immediately and has since steadily decreased further. The second video was about Timaru and was shot in and around Waiiti Road, one of the main roads through the residential area to out-lying communities. Their scheme was similar to Australian Neighbourhood Watch but on a much smaller scale.

Police officers at the meeting said they don't mind coming to 'check out' suspected criminals. Nine times out of ten calls are false alarms with good intent. The tenth one is the 'worthit' call, because they have saved someone's property or maybe their life through the capture of an offender. The third video was for the rural sector, showing what they arranged between themselves as a group. The question was asked: "won't we lose

our privacy by being active members?" "You don't have to peer continuously at one another over boundary fences. Just note any suspicious activities and contact your area supervisor or neighbour and observe details, eg car registration number. This is all it takes," said the officers. Helpful hints to come out of the meeting included the tip to mark all items of value etc with your driver's licence number. This number is instantly recognizable

and traceable by police. Farmers place machinery worth thousands of dollars in sheds, that can be secured by sensor beams that activate lights and/or alarms. Farmers could approach the local livestock agents and buy drench etc., in bulk and have it stored in the shop until required. This would reduce theft from sheds on the farm. Another meeting is to be held in Raetihi in two week's time.