Police wrap: Check footage as ‘easy targets’ raise concern

We’re putting the call out to residents in Geraldton’s southern suburbs to check their CCTV footage after a spate of suspicious activities over the past 10 days.

Generally speaking, there’s been a welcome fall in crime recently, which I suspect is due to the wet weather we’ve been seeing.

But we want to stop this new development as soon as possible.

Recently the Beachlands, Mount Tarcoola, and Tarcoola Beach suburbs have become a hot spot for us, with several attempted burglaries, car thefts, and items stolen from front gardens recently.

We’re stepping up with regular patrols and an increased presence in the area in response. But for those community members out there, please check your CCTV over the last week, especially during the evenings, and in particular last Friday from 6pm onwards.

I suspect people might be wandering those areas looking for easy targets, and CCTV evidence could help us get them off the streets.

I’d encourage anyone who has yet to sign up to Cam-Map WA to join the fantastic opt-in service where residents can register their security cameras to a virtual map.

This speeds up the investigation process, allowing police to know where CCTV cameras are located and contact people remotely.

We had a 40 per cent increase in the sign-up earlier this year.

Local businesses have been enthusiastic, but private homeowners not so much.

It’s all about getting in quick after an offence is committed and stopping that person from reoffending.

If we all work together we can keep the wider community safer.

Cam-Map WA can be accessed at wastatecctvregister.police.wa.gov.au.