An Open Letter to Mary-Anne Thomas:
As a citizen of Daylesford I would like to bring to your attention the need for a 24-hour police presence in Daylesford.
In the last 3 months or so the residents of Stanley Street, Stanbridge St and Stanmore Street have had more than 14 events of theft, entry with theft and interference in our properties.
We residents are part of a quiet community, and we have now had car theft, car and property interference, intruders wandering in our gardens and homes, taking our possessions and invading our privacy.
And we no longer feel safe!
These crimes are taking place after midnight, when we have no resident police presence in the town. If someone needs help, there is NONE!
Just yesterday felons stole several things from my car, which was parked in my garden, By chance I had left it unlocked. They proceeded to my shed and trashed the inside, looking for something to sell I suppose, as a boxed new barbecue was taken. They rifled through my entire car and shed. I was asleep, alone in my home, luckily with all doors locked.
That same night a car was stolen from 5 doors down from me and another neighbour had his car searched and then the intruders were heard inside his home at about 5.30am with his small children in their beds.
This is not a safe community at present. All events have been reported to our local police station. The local police have not found the culprits who are obviously taking advantage of the lack of Police presence in the town during night time hours. What can we do if we do not have a nearby police available to help? Just get beaten up trying to protect our homes?
We are told that the Ballan station picks up calls from Daylesford but this is obviously no longer a working solution. At present with this wave of hooligans strutting our quiet streets we must have a much more obvious Police presence in the needed hours especially at the presently targeted addresses.
Can you help us get a 24-hour Police presence in Daylesford?
The town has become a lot more affluent in recent years, a situation which no doubt does not escape the culprits of these invasions. At weekends the town population swells to many thousands more than are resident.
Surely the police understand that things have changed and we need a better and more comprehensive police presence here?
A 24-hour manned Police station is now imperative!
We look forward to having conversations with you about this very pressing situation. A resident Action Group is now up and running to bring these issues to your attention. We hope that you can understand our frustration with the way these invasions are changing our sense of calm and security in the country life we so value.
Yours faithfully,
Name and address withheld,
Daylesford
Response from Mary-Anne Thomas:
I am sorry to hear of the incidents that have impacted Daylesford residents over the last three months. I want to reassure that community safety is our number one priority which is why we have invested a record $4.5 billion in Victoria Police to ensure they have the resources and tools they need to keep Victorians safe. This includes funding for more police officers and local crime prevention measures in Daylesford.
Daylesford is a very safe place to live with one of the lowest rates of criminal offences in the state. Victoria Police provides a 24-hour police response, 7 days a week to all Victorians. Operational decisions such as the deployment of resources are a matter for Victoria Police.
We are beginning to see many statistics return to normal levels following the impacts of the pandemic – however when factoring in population growth overall crime remains at one of the lowest levels in the past decade.
We’ve invested more in our police force than any other state or territory – with a record investment of more than $4.5 billion since 2016 delivering more than 3,600 new sworn police officers as well as world-class intelligence systems, new technology, and new and upgraded police stations.
Of the more than 3,600 additional police funded by the Victorian Government, 64 new officers have been deployed to the local Police Service Area covering Daylesford.
While police do everything to make sure Victorians are kept safe, they have emphasised that unlocked houses and cars are most at risk to being broken into. People can help reduce this risk by making sure all doors, windows and entrances to houses and cars are kept locked to deter opportunistic thieves.
We thank Victoria Police for their vital work in keeping the community safe and we will continue to give them the resources they need to deter and disrupt crime across the state.
Mary-Anne Thomas, MP,
State Member for Macedon.
