A spate of vandalism at Umina Oval has revealed that closed-circuit television cameras have not been working. Four incidents in the last month have caused kiosk proprietor Ms Gabby Greyem to renew calls for the cameras to be fixed or replaced.
Ms Greyem has claimed the cameras have never detected vandalism in the four years she has run the kiosk, despite there being 30 reported break-ins to her cafe in that period. Ms Greyem has also renewed calls for lighting to be installed around the skate park, playground, kiosk and oval at Umina. “Banjo’s Skate Park in Wamberal will receive lighting with Federal Safer Communities funding. “Bato Yard skate bowl at Bateau Bay is fully lit and successfully working to deter crime,” she said. On June 1, four teenagers smashed all of the public toilets behind Jasmine Greens cafe, said Ms Greyem.
“Senior Constable Melanie Lambert emailed me to inform me that the CCTV cameras over the front door of the toilets, at the western end of my leased building, were not working and no footage could be obtained from the vandalism incident. “I called 131 444 and Council Duty Officer to inform Council about this vandalism because the next day was the State Surf Titles at Umina Surf Club. “I gave Council the police event number for this incident,” she said. On June 9, graffiti was painted on glass doors, walls and wooden doors of the cafe, as well as on the Umina Football Club and other Council facilities in the area.
Again, no CCTV footage could be obtained from Council’s cameras. According to Ms Greyem, security technicians were then on site on both June 8 and June 13 to fix the cameras. At 10pm on June 18, the alarms were activated at the cafe. Police were on site by 11.45pm and Ms Greyem was informed of the break-in early the next day. Umina Football Club had also been broken into and vandalised and metal taken from that site then used to smash Jasmine Greens’ glass doors.
At 10:30pm the following night, the cafe’s alarm was again activated. “I was on site at 11pm to find fresh wet footprints in my cafe from intruders and thieves, and police were on site by 11:30pm,” she said. “In the time I have been a tenant of Council at this site, I have endured over 30 break-ins,” said Ms Greyem. “In all of this time, Council’s CCTV cameras (three on my building and countless in the park) have not worked,” Ms Greyem said. “I held a public meeting about community safety, the need for lights and working CCTV cameras in the Peninsula Recreation Precinct in May 2016,” Ms Greyem said. “I petitioned Council on the issue in 2016. “Despite sending in this petition to Council, on three occasions, I have never received a formal letter of receipt for this petition. “I petitioned Council on the issue again in 2017.
“I have personally funded free barista training for Brisbane Water Secondary College students at risk of dropping out of high school. “My Baristas Beating Crime project was promised Council funding in 2016, but we have not received the funds. “I raised this with Council’s property department in March 2017 when I gave them the timeline of vandalism at Jasmine Greens. “I have received no formal response from Council about this matter. “Despite my requests, I have received no response from Council about what they pay the security company to service the CCTV cameras and why the CCTV cameras have not worked in the past four years I have been a tenant here.”
Ms Greyem said: “I have personally funded, in collaboration with the College, over 200 free kids cooking classes. “I have initiated a community garden working with Year 9 students from the College to again try to instil a sense of future, self-pride and belonging in kids at risk of entering a life of crime. “In May, Federal Assistant Minister for Home Affairs Mr Alex Hawke and Member for Robertson Ms Lucy Wicks pledged federal funding for 11 new CCTV cameras for the precinct. “They also agreed that Federal funding for lights for the precinct was a good idea and recommended Council applied for such funding in the 2018 round of Safer Communities funding which specifically provided funding for lights and CCTV to prevent crime in public spaces.” Ms Greyem questioned whether the Council had the competence to manage the CCTV cameras.
SOURCE: Media release, 21 Jun 2018 Gabby Greyem, Jasmin Greens Kiosk