This is the new eWatch report for City of Armadale that may be of interest
E WATCHERS
Welcome to a new edition of e watch, to those of you who are new to e watch welcome aboard. Let’s get straight into things, after an initial spike in criminal activity we have seen a reduction in burglaries over the last 3 reporting weeks. The officers at Armadale Police have been exceptionally busy during this period and have
been very active in apprehending these offenders. The suburb of Armadale is our hot spot at the moment with Camillo and Seville Grove also attracting interest from these people. Also of concern is the suburb of Bedfordale which has been subject to two burglaries over the last week. Because of it’s isolation it is an easy target for these people. Please ensure you lock up when you leave. For safety and security tips go to http://www.nhw.wa.gov.au
One thing I must re-iterate to you is the importance of locking up your houses, even when home; the people that commit these crimes are brazen and will enter in to your house even if you are home through unlocked doors and windows. I know it is hot and sometime difficult to sleep at night however your safety is of utmost importance.
An absolute positive over the last couple of weeks is the influx of information we have had from the community as a whole in reporting suspicious behaviour.
Many a time we are asked the question – what is suspicious behaviour?
From a policing perspective suspicious behaviour includes activity that is not considered acceptable by the general community or you as a person. Activity such as people knocking on your doors asking for a drink of water during the day or evening is not normal behaviour, make no mistake and have it in the back of your mind – this person may be casing my house, watching my movements.
Do not answer questions about your movements, such as when will you be home next, or how many people live in the house or if some one is at work, these are common methods used to illicit information from you to allow people to come back and break in to your house.
Whilst we should not have to worry about this it is now a part of our society and we must open our eyes to this scourge of activity and be able to respond to it. Whilst we know that we do get visits from marketing people and people from organisation seeking donations and the like, at all times they should be carrying a form of identification and you are well within your rights to ask for identification from these people. Most will be happy to oblige.
WHAT TO DO:
Often when we receive information about these suspicious persons it is after the fact. What we need from you is a very detailed description of the person/s.
Here is a list of what to consider: gender, height, builds, race, clothing, facial hair, tattoos language, direction of travel, hair colour / length / style, what did they ask for, were they carrying any thing.
Write it down on a piece of paper and then the most important thing is to ring your local police station or 131444 and report it immediately. Any time lost could mean someone is being broken in to.
Most of you familiar with the Armadale CBD will know that CCTV is now active in the area through Jull Street and the surrounding streets. This initiative is proving to have great dividends for the community and WA Police. Being able to monitor what is happening we are able to identify potential trouble spots and nip it in the bud before it escalates. The footage that is being provided is proving to be invaluable in the investigation of matters and most recently it was used to apprehend two people for a serious robbery in the mall. The CCTV footage allowed for identification of the offenders, their apprehension and appearance before the court.
This system is working for you. We are approaching the Labour Day Long Weekend and traditionally with long weekends there will travel away from your house, remember to let your neighbours know and ask them to report any suspicious activity immediately to police.
Don’t forget that if you want to report hoon behaviour please utilise the hoon report form which can be located on http://www.police.wa.gov.au
Remember we all have a role in the community, and working together we can make a difference. Kind Regards
Rob HOLTOM
Acting Officer in Charge
Armadale Police Station