Community working together against crime

Mapping out a strategy to deal with the recent spate of burglaries are (l-r) community worker...
Mapping out a strategy to deal with the recent spate of burglaries are (l-r) community worker Lynda Davidson, Community Constable Fred Jansen and Otago Neighbourhood Support regional co-ordinator Kim Romeril. PHOTO: ELEANOR AINGE ROY.
A recent spate of petty crime in the Green Island area is behind plans to hold a community meeting later this month.

Burglaries in the area spiked a month ago and were discussed at length on social media by concerned residents who had noticed gumboots, petrol, firewood, children's bikes and an assortment of other goods going missing.

Community Constable Fred Jansen, who has worked in the area for 16 years, says although the items stolen are of relatively small monetary value, the thieves could go on to more serious crime.

''The community was quite concerned about it. It was a timely reminder to pull together as a community and have more than one pair of eyes out there than just police eyes. A lot of people were made victims so it's a good chance to bring them together.''

Constable Jansen said there were still ''four or five'' unexplained burglaries in his patch and while he had an idea of who was behind them, he was unable to comment further.

''There's no point just punishing people; you actually need to fix the problem,'' he said.

The meeting will take place in the Abbotsford School Hall on August 19 at 7pm.

Lynda Davidson, a Green Island community worker, said Green Island was a mix of elderly long-term residents, new families buying their first homes and a growing number of work-at-home professionals living in new builds and developments. A community crime meeting was a good opportunity to bring these disparate groups together and get them working cohesively to make their community as safe as possible, she said.

''On Facebook there was a bit of frustration that things were being taken and nobody knew who was behind it,'' Mrs Davidson said.

''I want to see neighbours being able to help one another in times of need, and a face-to-face meeting like this really strengthens those connections.''

By Eleanor Ainge Roy 

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