FESTIVE TURN-OFF
Crime, power costs dissuade residents on festive displays
AN increase in crime figures of up to 70 per cent has combined with surging power prices to deter Cairns residents from getting into the festive spirit this year.
Andrea Attree organises the Christmas Lights Around Cairns Facebook page and said this year, the number of willing participants was significantly down compared to recent Christmas seasons.
She received numerous messages from regular Christmas light displayers saying they would bow out of this year’s activities because they could not afford the higher electricity bills and were concerned their property would be damaged or stolen.
She said residents in Brinsmead, Mooroobool, Earlville and Bayview Heights were among those least likely to take part this year.
Residents in southern suburbs such as Edmonton, Bentley Park, Mt Sheridan and Gordonvale were unfazed.
“The list is a lot smaller than what it was last year. They say they’d like to but they just can’t afford to this year because of the power prices,” Ms Attree said.
“I’ve had a couple of people worried about the crime spree in Cairns, which is totally understandable because in the past couple of years it has happened.
“Out at Redlynch there were items stolen and there were properties which have had stuff damaged.
“The power hike also makes it hard for families who want to do this, especially those who want to do it on a larger scale. Unless you can buy everything you need in solar you have to rely on LED energy-saving lights.”
She said it was disappointing to lose some of the city’s best Christmas lights displays.
The latest annual police figures showed car thefts jumped 31 per cent and break-ins more than 70 per cent in a year.
But Far North District Crime Prevention Senior Constable Russell Parker said it was “very difficult” to gain an accurate indication of how many Christmas displays were the target of crimes.
“These sorts of incidents would be recorded simply as a wilful damage or stealing incident, and as such are very difficult to research and quantify,” he said.
“Anecdotally though, we have very few incidents of this nature reported each Yuletide season that we’re aware of.
“It would appear that even the hard-nosed grubs have a little soft spot for Santa.”