Protect us from the crime wave
A TERRIBLE thing happened to some close friends last month.
It’s left them badly rattled, scared and heavily out of pocket. It’s also left them wondering why better safeguards aren’t in place against what they experienced.
I won’t say their names because they’re fearful of being targeted again. Which is what they’ve been told by numerous people is what happens after you’re robbed.
These guys weren’t just robbed, though, they were cleaned right out. They lost cars, credit cards, valuables, keys, tools, golf clubs, a safe, passports. Every room in the house was trashed, every drawer and cupboard ransacked, the house was physically wrecked. A brand new ute was stolen, including all the tools and everything else in it.
The family’s been left traumatised. They had normal locks but not the full-on security some people have these days. That’s now changed. But what’s really thrown them is the fact houses nearby were trashed and robbed just days beforehand.
No one thought to tell them about it. Not the police, not the neighbours, not any community or government or council body — and they’re wondering how people are supposed to protect themselves if they don’t know they’re being targeted.
What are you supposed to do? In these days of ultra-fast internet communications you can’t tell me it’s too hard for governments to tell you where crime is happening. There’s only one thing stopping them — they don’t want you to know.
They don’t want any law and order political issues that expose how much they simply don’t care about your safety or the safety of your family.
I think we need to get back to basics. Why can’t people be told when there is a robbery in their street? This is basic human and community policing. We need to set up a community police force — one that just focuses on protection neighbourhood surveillance.
But why don’t we have enough real police? And why don’t our police have enough resources? Why didn’t the State Budget include anything to boost the fight against the violent crime epidemic in Geelong, in Melbourne and across the state?
Does Premier Daniel Andrews think playing the ostrich with his head in the sand will make it go away? Does Police Minister Lisa Neville, our own Bellarine MLA, think there are more important things than protecting her own constituents from brutal assaults and aggravated burglaries?
Seriously, are these two leaders the only people in Victoria who don’t know what’s going on?
We’ve got police without the manpower to keep up with the crime epidemic, we’ve got courts just throwing big and little mongrel thieves and thugs straight back on the streets, we’ve got prisons that can’t keep even teenagers under control and we’ve got a community that’s scared and furious about the State Government’s blatant refusal to even acknowledge the problems.
It’s appallingly irresponsible. It’s pitifully weak. It’s abysmal. It’s deliberately negligent. And worst of all, it’s driven by greedy political self-interest.
I think the problem’s so out of hand there should be a royal commission into the Government’s refusal to protect the community against crime. But there has to be a quicker way to get some action.
So I’m going to beg these people to help Victorians feel safe again. I’m begging Daniel Andrews, please Mr Andrews, help Victorian families go to bed at night without fearing a gang of thugs won’t smash into their homes and attack and rob them.
Please, let people know that maniac ice addicts are not going to creep into their homes at night and assault them or worse.
Please, Daniel Andrews, I’m imploring you, let people know you’ll take the bad people off the streets and lock them up.
And please, Lisa Neville, look deep within yourself and see the fear in the hearts of parents and children who’ve read and heard of so many attacks, so many assaults, that they’re scared.
Please, Ms Neville, imagine these are your children, your grandchildren, your nieces or nephews exposed to these awful people.
Please Mr Premier, Ms Police Minister, act now before more people are brutalised, terrorised, bashed, robbed or traumatised.
You have the power. You have the resources. Please, find the will to protect us. Victorians need you. This can’t continue. Get the criminals off our streets, lock them up.
Why didn’t the State Budget include anything to boost the fight against the violent crime epidemic in Geelong, in Melbourne and right across the state?