Community comes together on crime

LENNOX Head residents are working with local police in a bid to find solutions to address a spike in youth crime in the area.

Around 200 people attended a meeting organised by the Lennox Head Residents’ Association on Saturday night to discuss the issue.

LHRA president Geoff Wegg said the high turnout at Lennox Head Cultural Centre, despite the wet weather, showed the degree of concern in the community following a recent spate of burglaries, car thefts and home invasions.

“A lot of people were there to hear how things have been dealt with,” he said.

“I think they were quite relieved to hear a lot of the offenders have been identified, arrested and are in custody.

“None of them live in Lennox Head but they come from places like Casino, Goonellabah, Coraki and Lismore.”

Mr Wegg said Lennox Head’s population has grown substantially in recent years, with several new housing estates.

“There’s probably 7,500 people who now live in Lennox Head,” he said.

“It’s probably been seen by the criminal element as a bit of a soft target because people have been used to not locking their doors over the years or taking other security precautions, but now it’s at the point that we have to.”

Mr Wegg said the most important things people can do to protect their homes are to install security lights and cameras, make sure they don’t leave their car keys in their vehicle, and ensure their garage door is closed.

He also urged people to download the WeWatch app, in which users can report incidents and disturbances in real-time, receive alerts and discuss them with neighbours to help keep the community safe.

Residents are also calling for the Federal Government to help fund the installation of CCTV cameras in the area and for an urgent review of bail laws.