NSW Police adopt targeted strategies help disrupt offending
North Shore businesses have reported an increase in thefts, but crime rates remain low in comparison to other parts of the state.
NSW Police told NL that the increase in reported theft incidents could be attributed to enhanced detection rates, identification of young offenders and heightened community awareness.
In July, the North Shore Police Area Command conducted Operation Percentile over two days, targeting retail theft. Police initiated legal action against 16 people, issued 10 banning notices from retail outlets, and arrested and charged three young offenders.
Willoughby MP Tim James said increased police presence had acted as a strong deterrent against crime.
“Part of the challenge has been correlation or connectivity between what’s happening on the ground and what police are actually receiving, because they only know that which is reported to them,” he said.
Earlier this year, Crows Nest resident Jamie Vachon started a petition aiming to stop juvenile crime in Crows Nest, calling on local police, council and State Government to act. He also created a WhatsApp community group for local businesses to alert each other of incidents and potential threats, which he said has been ‘quite useful.’
Mr Vachon said that although incidents targeting local businesses have ‘died down a bit,’ there were still issues occurring in the North Sydney local government area, carrying ‘a pretty significant level of concern.’
MP Tim James agrees that the local community’s engagement was an important aspect of addressing crime, emphasising the need for a coordinated approach. “We need to ensure that everybody in the community is reporting every such incident, every such event, even reasonable suspicion,” he said.
“Ultimately, part of the key, as with every crime, is to seek to deter the committing of the crime. I certainly think that the police making arrests, going about investigations and proceeding to do their job has sent a message.”
NSW Police said Operation Percentile ‘had strengthened partnerships between the police and the local business community.’
“The operation sends a clear message that North Shore Police will continue to dedicate resources to identifying, disrupting and holding accountable those involved in retail theft and related offences,” a spokesperson said.
Alongside Mr James, Chatswood Chamber of Commerce has welcomed increased police presence and crackdowns to support community safety. “However, we also believe the response to juvenile crime cannot simply begin and end with additional policing or tougher penalties,” President Jam Xia said.
The Chamber believes that to be effective, responses to juvenile crime ‘need both sides of the equation.’
“Businesses and the community need appropriate protection and policing, but we also need early intervention that gives young people a genuine opportunity to take a different path,” Mr Xia said.
“If we only respond after a young person has committed an offence, we are addressing the consequence rather than the cause.”
Mr Xia said the chamber worked with organisations like youth charity StreetWork ‘to support early intervention and help address some of the underlying circumstances that can lead young people towards antisocial behaviour or offending.’
NSW Police said it delivered crime prevention programs in schools and regularly conducted youth engagement activities and home visits; as well as high visibility patrols of youth crime hotspots.