Hundreds of concerned residents are expected to attend a community meeting called to address the “significant increase in violent crime and armed robberies” on the Central Coast to be held on March 9 between 2pm-4pm at Breakers Country Club, Wamberal.
Convened by Facebook Terrigal Community Noticeboard administrator Jo Coleman, there will be a number of community leaders attending including the Police Minister, the Brisbane Water Local Area Command Superintendent, State and Federal MPs and youth organisations representatives.
“I’m quite overwhelmed by the response and that so many community leaders have agreed to attend,” Coleman said.
“It’s important that the public get to speak and ask questions and find out what’s going on.
“So many people have contacted me who are just scared in their own homes.”
Coleman said the community meeting was a result of a get-together of local Facebook community page administrators who realised they were all facing the same crime-related issues.
She said in recent months more than 320 well organised break and enters had been committed by masked and armed offenders across suburbs such as Terrigal, Avoca, North Avoca, Wamberal, Copacabana, Bateau Bay, Point Frederick, Gosford, Berkeley Vale and Killarney Vale.
She said the community was calling for a 24-hour presence at Terrigal Police station which presently closes at 8pm, a dedicated taskforce of detectives as well as changed bail conditions for young people, longer detention sentences and sustained youth support both inside and outside detention centres.
“Terrigal is the night life capital of the Central Coast and there is no police presence,” she said.
“The community already knows who many of the offenders are, and has real information it is willing to share with the police.
“As for changing bail conditions, if Queensland can change it, I don’t see why we can’t.”
She said the increase in violent crime and armed robberies across Central Coast suburbs was impacting residents in ways that could not be underestimated.
“Those who have experienced this crime are fearful and suffer ongoing anxiety,” she said.
“There are significant ripple effects through the broader community, both residential and business.
“The status quo cannot go on.”
Coleman said community leaders who had agreed to attend included Police Minister Yasmin Catley, Federal Shadow Minister for Community Safety Jason Wood, Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid, Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch, Brisbane Water Local Area Command Superintendent Darryl Jobson, Regional Youth Support Services CEO Kim McLoury, a number of Central Coast councilliors including Sharon Walsh who is also chair of the Central Coast Domestic Violence Committee, Police Assistant Commissioner of Youth Services Brett Greentree, and Liberal candidate for Robertson Lucy Wicks.
A number of local residents will also address the meeting including Terrigal resident and former police officer David Brooke, Wamberal resident Tim Eaton and Bateau Bay resident and parent Adele Graham.
Denice Barnes
This is what we need . Youth crime is out of control . I have spoken to many elderly who are scared in their own homes.Laws need to be toughened up. These kids are repeat offenders that just get off over and over.We as a community have had enough .
try living in ” the ice castle” home in place units at toukley. make complaints and staff ignore.most residents here are more than fearful.
it’s only 2 units but they get at least 10 visitors a day
all own dangerous dogs,which housing does nothing. units! with dogs that have attacked,many breeches but still here.