Pako CCTV push gets ‘urgent’

STOP THE CRIMS

A PAKINGTON St business is urging the Geelong council to fast track a plea for CCTV cameras as a “matter of urgency” as violent thugs continue to smash their way into stores along the popular shopping strip.

Tonik owner Niki Nurnaitis has written to the City to alert the council to the costly attacks, with her store hit four times since March 24.

“There is a lot of anger and frustration from the local retailers about these brazen attacks on our businesses,” Mrs Nurnaitis wrote.

“On behalf of all of the businesses who have been targeted, we are appealing to you to escalate a discussion on introducing CCTV cameras into Pakington St, Newtown, to deter these brazen thieves.”

Data released last week shows Newtown experienced 153 burglaries in the year to March — the fifth highest number of any suburb in Greater Geelong.

The City of Greater Geelong’s director of city services, Will Tieppo, said the City had recently engaged a consultant to prepare a report on the feasibility and effectiveness of CCTV systems in public places and activity centres. The report would provide strategic direction and the process for the council’s decision-making in relation to requests for CCTV systems.

Across Geelong CCTV systems are located mainly in central Geelong and more recently activity centres and public spaces where antisocial behaviour or criminal activity is more likely to occur.

Businesses on Pakington St this month banded together to plea for the community’s help as “out-of-control” burglaries plague the area.

Owners said the attacks were crippling them both financially and emotionally, with some questioning whether they could continue to operate.

Others said they were considering employing private security to protect the strip out of sheer desperation.