The Mayor's Column
I was alarmed when contacted recently by press and radio to comment on reports that Mosman has the second highest incidence of break and enter robbery in the whole metropolitan area. My perception is that we live in a relatively safe place.
The truth of the matter was revealed at our recent Community Development meeting. Inspector Bob Monk of Harbourside Police addressed us and gave an overview of crime statistics and police action in our area. He reassured us that these figures were not a true depiction of the crime rate in Mosman as they were based on one insurance company’s claims, not on the number of incidents.
That said, he told us that there are about 70 reported acts of robbery in the Harbourside area each month. Our local paper has written about some quite traumatic attacks on residents in recent months and it is always frightening and distressing to be a victim of crime, especially when violence is involved. However, our crime rates are relatively low.
This does not mean that we should not be vigilant. We were warned to be suspicious of people who are door knocking, under the guise of charity collectors or workmen and warned never to let a stranger in unless you can truly verify their credentials.
Neighborhood Watch has disappeared in most communities as people become more concerned about privacy and neighbours often don’t communicate. Even the Safety House programs have gone in these days when it is so hard to guarantee the credentials of people in the houses which would purport to be a safe place for children.
Surprisingly, there are a number of homeless people known to police in this area. The police keep them under surveillance as they are very vulnerable members of our society. Some of these people are mentally ill. Sometimes they are missing persons. Police welcome any information or concerns about such people. In the case of mentally ill persons who are in need of care, there is a new agreement between police and ambulance services that the ambulance is the preferred method of transport to hospital, with police providing escort if needed.
The message from the police is, lock your doors and windows, even when you are at home. Burglars often rob houses when residents are asleep or occupied. Report any odd behaviour to the police. The police offer a home safety audit on request, advising how best to burglar-proof your home. The compelling message from the police is that you should invest in a burglar alarm. The message will be loud and clear, the intruder will make a quick getaway.
Cr Denise Wilton, Mayor of Mosman
