29.3 C
Byron Shire
February 10, 2025

Lennox meets to address youth crime 

Latest News

Something extra for NSW nurses and midwives

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) has called on the Minns government to put its extra share of federal health funding towards NSW nurses and midwives’ wages.

Other News

Dog registration rort!

I am a pensioner who’s finally found affordable and stable housing in the best town in Australia, Mullumbimby. Being settled...

How to revive nature protection laws?

Following the Prime Minister’s dumping of nature protection laws this week, federal Greens candidate Mandy Nolan says the voters of Richmond deserve better.

Powerful results from joining quantum computing and AI

Researchers have used quantum physics and machine learning to quickly and accurately understand a mound of data – a technique, they say, could help extract meaning from gargantuan datasets.

Rainbow Dragons to compete nationally

Three standout paddlers from the Rainbow Region Dragon Boat Club (RRDBC) – Ivy Yap, Brooke Harris and Amanda Mevissen...

Have your say on Reconciliation Action Plan

Lismore City Council is inviting community members to participate in an upcoming consultation to help shape its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Cartoon of the week – February 5, 2025

The letters deadline for The Echo is noon Friday. Letters longer than 200 words may be cut. The publication of letters is at the discretion of the letters editor.

Installing CCTV cameras and motion-sensor lights is one of the best ways for locals to protect their homes from the wave of break-ins and car thefts occurring across the Northern Rivers, a community meeting has been told.

Around 100 people gathered at the Lennox Cultural Centre last Saturday evening, a turnout that appeared to reflect the growing level of concern about youth crime in the town.

The meeting was addressed by current and former police officers, a security expert, and concerned locals, all of whom emphasised that the best way for locals to protect their homes was by installing CCTV cameras and motion-sensor lights, and by sharing information with neighbours via smartphone apps.

‘Look, you’re not going to stop the real criminals from getting into your home if they really want to,’ said Geoff Bensley, who installed security systems and other electrical services in Byron for many years.

‘But you can deter the kind of crime and theft that these young people are involved in. Putting motion-detection lights in is definitely an option, and so is CCTV.’

Mr Bensley and the others who addressed the meeting also emphasised the importance of collaborating with neighbours to share information though WhatsApp chat groups and apps such as WeWatch, which is specifically designed to boost community security.

WeWatch app

WeWatch, which informs communities whenever there has been a break-in within a certain radius, was described as a ‘more up-to-date version of Neighbourhood Watch’.

Earlier in the meeting, Detective Sergeant Michael Smith, from the Richmond Local Area Command, painted a picture of the types of young offenders who were responsible for the scores of break-ins and car thefts occurring across the region.

‘The age range is from 14 to 36, but the most common age is around 16,’ he said.

He added that some of the young offenders had intellectual challenges, such as foetal alcohol syndrome and developmental delays.

Police were facing issues prosecuting young people accused of offences because of the need to prove that the young person was aware that what they were doing was wrong.

This requirement particularly applies to children aged under 14, who were also protected from having their DNA and fingerprints taken.

Detective Sergeant Smith also painted a picture of when and how the offences were occurring.

‘Thursday night is the most common night for break and enters, and they occur most commonly between midnight and 3am,’ he said.

‘The MO is generally young offenders in small groups of about two-to-five members… They’re checking for unlocked doors and garages and for high quality, easily transportable goods and obviously for car keys.

‘They’re also on the lookout for shoes because they often take their shoes off before going into someone’s house, and then leave them behind because if they get someone’s keys, they want to get out of there pretty quickly.’

The offenders were also stealing knives and food, the meeting heard.

Whole community 

A key overarching theme during the meeting was the need for the whole community to work together to address the issue, particularly those with relevant expertise.

‘Youth crime is an issue that requires action on a range of levels,’ meeting organiser, Alison Vickery said.

‘I don’t have an agenda, and I don’t know how to solve this problem, but I do know how to get community issues heard.’

She said the group was looking at developing a Northern Rivers-wide response to the issue, that included people from across the community.

‘A number of members of the community have stepped forward to help and advise us,’ she said.

‘Drawing on our resources is definitely going to be part of the solution.’


Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Don’t want to be cynical but suddenly the noalition councillors of team cadwallader campaigning on crime with a federal election due in May.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Hundreds gather in Lismore for trans rally

'Right now Queensland lawmakers and politicians are ignoring the advice of the many science and health experts who know for a fact that denying essential healthcare to trans youth costs lives.'

Prime minister visits Lennox Head

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was on the North Coast last Friday to announce that a re-elected Albanese Labor Government will deliver $3 million for a North Coast Crime Prevention Infrastructure Action Plan.

Diversity is weakness, according to some

Until recently the acronym DEI was unknown in Australia. Now it's become one of those annoying Americanisms like vacation, SUV and soda which are steadily invading our language. Like 'woke', its meaning has been inverted by malicious actors seeking to confuse, divide and conquer.

Women take over Stone & Wood for IWD event

In preparation for a day when women will take over the brewery, the women of Stone & Wood were recently joined by local creative women and not-for-profit founders, to brew a beer together ahead of International Women's Day.