Sophie Scanlon
Last year 185 people had cars that were broken into so the Bathurst Regional Community Safety Committee (BRCSC) and Chifley Police District have teamed up to help residents make sure that they won’t be next to have their cars broken into.
Out of 120 Local Government areas the Bathurst region is ranked 45th, but the “Don’t Be Next” campaign is working to change this.
The Bathurst Regional Community Safety Committee is urging residents to:
- Lock it – Close windows. Lock doors. Lock toolboxes. Never leave keys in cars
- Secure it – Keep your garage door locked or park in a well-lit area
- Hide it – If you are leaving valuables in the car hide them from sight or in the boot
- Report it – Report all criminal and suspicious activity to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000
Deputy Mayor of Bathurst, Ian North believes that this crime is often forgotten about and too often the perpetrators walk free.
“People think they are fine to look away for a couple of minutes and all of sudden their purse or wallet is gone from their car,” the Deputy Mayor said.
“It is so violating to have your car broken into, my car was just sitting in the street out the front of my house.”
A Bathurst resident who experienced a break in, during 2020
Apart from the four key tips, Inspector David Abercrombie of Bathurst Police station said, “These incidents can also be avoided by installing an audible car alarm which will sound if a window is smashed or a lock is broken, deterring the criminal.”
He also suggested that “If residents have the opportunity, park under a streetlight or in a well-lit area to decrease your chance of being a victim.”
The areas with the highest rate of break-ins are Bathurst Local Government Area, specifically central Bathurst area, Kelso and West Bathurst.