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Traders fed up

By Tania Martin

9th February 2010 02:00:22 AM

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Emerald traders Jacqui Walker, Mary Farrow, Alan Mills, Sarah Fry, Louise Lammers, Chris Moloney and Peter Maloney are fed up with an increase in crime and are calling for action. 42588

EMERALD traders are fed up with crime in the town and are calling for a bigger police presence.

They believe local youths are flouting the law because they know they can get away with it.

This follows a spate of late night break-ins.

Traders said the spike in crime all started last month when thieves smashed their way into the Paradise Hotel and stole an ATM sometime between 8pm and 11pm on Tuesday 12 January.

The crime spree continued on Thursday 28 January when thieves broke into the town’s DVD shop shortly after 2am, stealing 200 rental video games worth more than $17,500.

Thieves returned to the scene the following morning and smashed their way into the Greenroom, which is just a few doors down from the video shop.

Greenroom owner Jacqui Walker said the thieves stole the cash register and several bottles of alcohol.

She said the smashed cash register was found several hours later by police at Emerald Secondary College.

Ms Walker said it was only lucky there was no money.

“In the end we were able to put it back together,” she said.

Ms Walker said it was a big shock, especially as it seems crime is escalating.

“It’s upsetting in a small community like Emerald,” she said.

The Emerald Pharmacy was also broken into shortly after am on Wednesday 3 February.

Police said thieves smashed the glass at the front of the store to gain access and stole a box of medication before fleeing from the scene.

Emerald Pharmacy’s Louise Lammers believes the area was being targeted because youths knew police were not around late at night.

“It’s just escalated over the past three months … they are going around town and picking one after another,” she said.

“They are looking at businesses, sussing them out and selecting someone to hit that night.”

Emerald Police Sergeant Fiona Tolmie met with the traders at a meeting last night to discuss their concerns.

She said although the crime figures showed there had actually been a decrease in burglaries, police would be targeting the areas of concern.

Sgt Tolmie said there had been a number of burglaries at residential properties in December, but mainly at places that had been left unlocked.

She said this was a warning to make sure their premises were secure.

Sgt Tolmie said the burglary rate in the Emerald region including Cockatoo and Gembrook had decreased from 20 in December to 15 in January and three so far in February.

The group said they were not blaming the police but there needed to be more on the beat.

At the meeting Sgt Tolmie showed the traders the timeline for the burglaries and assured them there would be police patrols put in place.

“I will be meeting with our police services area and asking for extra police members to target the specific areas at specific times,” she said.