Mobile police cut crime
Rockingham police will continue to use a mobile police unit to combat crime after it was hailed a success in reducing crime rates in Baldivis and Warnbro at the weekend.
Operation Bilby, where the mobile unit was stationed at Baldivis on Friday night and Warnbro on Saturday night, has been credited with reducing anti-social behaviour in the two southern suburbs.
The police unit operates as a mobile police station, which means police have quicker response times and can process people on the spot instead of travelling to and from Rockingham police station.
Sgt Steve Kent said police would target high complaint suburbs between now and the end of the year to combat rising crime in the City of Rockingham.
Latest statistics by WA Police revealed a spike in the number of burglaries and theft in the Peel region, with burglaries up 25 per cent to 367 and theft up 13 per cent to 701.
‘‘The aim of the operation was to promote high visibility policing,’’ Sgt Kent said.
‘‘We effectively didn’t have high numbers (of crime) because of our presence.’’
Singleton Residents’ Association president Margaret Tysoe said the town, 20km south of Rockingham, would welcome hosting the mobile police unit.
The association has been campaigning for a new police station between Rockingham and Mandurah and Mrs Tysoe said having the mobile unit would be better than nothing.
‘‘Singleton would be very grateful to have an increase in police, even if it is just for one night,’’ she said.
‘‘At least if there is a presence occasionally, it has to be better than nothing.’’
Mrs Tysoe said she was pleased to hear the mobile unit was being used by police away from the Perth CBD.
‘‘I’m not saying it’s not needed at Northbridge, but it’s good to see police are recognising we have a problem in the suburbs,’’ she said.
‘‘We still have the ongoing issues of antisocial behaviour in Singleton.’’
Mrs Tysoe said the latest incident, two weeks ago, was an out-of-control party which was attended by five police vehicles.
On the same night a Singleton business was attacked, but Mrs Tysoe said police couldn’t attend because they were attending other jobs.
‘‘Maybe that would make them think they would need the police unit down here,’’ she said.
Sgt Kent said police had received positive feedback from residents and business owners in the two suburbs following the use of the mobile unit.
