By SONJA KOREMANS
TENTERFIELD residents showed up in their hundreds at a public meeting to tackle escalating crime in the town.
Almost daily break-ins of homes over the past three months has led to the formation of a working party involving community leaders, organisations and residents to tackle the crime spike.
The working party was the principal recommendation of the community meeting at the Tenterfield Memorial Hall last week.
Lismore MP Thomas George chaired the meeting which was attended by about 300 concerned locals.
“People aired their frustrations over the recent increase in petty crime in the town,“ Mr George said.
“Many, especially the elderly, are very worried about their safety, Mr George said.
“We are not sure why there is a increase in crime rates but it appears to be bored youths breaking into homes.“
Mr George said residents must start locking their homes and cars.
“There is an innocence about Tenterfield that poople think they don’t need to lock their homes or safeguard their possessions but those days are over.
“Police are doing everything they can to address the problem but we, as a community, have to help address the issue, which is a problem throughout NSW.”
NSW police Local Area Commander Superintendent Fred Trench also attended the meeting.
“Twenty four hour policing was one of the issues raised,” he said.
“Tenterfield doesn’t have 24 hour policing but our research suggests the break and enters are occurring at all times of the day and night.”
Supt Trench also informed the meeting that there had been a significant number of arrests made this year for property-related crime and highlighted the arrest of two juveniles in the previous week.
They were aged 13 and 15 years old and have been charged with a number of break and enter offences in the Tenterfield area.
The working party has been tasked to discuss the possibility of re-introducing Neighbourhood Watch to Tenterfield and investigate activities such as “midnight basketball” to occupy teenagers and other young people who are getting up to mischief at night.
The working party includes MP Thomas George, representatives of NSW police, Moombahlene Local Aboriginal Land Council, Tenterfield Shire Council, Rotary Club of Tenterfield, Tenterfield Lions Club, Tenterfield Family and Youth Support Service, Tenterfield Basketball Association, parents and several other groups.
