By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
POLICE have moved to assure Tooradin residents over fears about a surge in crime and have dismissed a rumour that parolees are living at the town’s caravan park.
Acting Sergeant Dave Smith from the Cranbourne Community Policing Unit said even though “one crime to a victim is significant, in the overall scheme of things Tooradin is a relatively small policing issue.”
A recent Tooradin community forum meeting to discuss residents’ concerns around crime revealed that there wasn’t much to be worried about.
“Locals’ concerns weren’t supported by our crime statistics, that’s for sure, that’s why we encourage everyone to make a report to police,” Sgt Smith said.
He said the main offences in Tooradin are repeated commercial burglaries, residential burglaries and theft of vehicles but that those crimes had been consistent throughout the south-east.
“Our message on the night as it has consistently been is to ensure homes are secure and cars are locked, so they are not easy targets,” he said.
Issues surrounding parolee residents living at the Tooradin Caravan Park were also talked about at the forum, but Sgt Smith was quick to shut down the allegations.
“From a police point of view, parolees are not being housed at the caravan park, we are not aware of it and I haven’t been able to identify a police member saying that’s the case.”
However Sgt Smith admitted to the Wednesday 24 February forum that a murder at the caravan park 12 months before may have something to do with concerns about crime.
“People’s perception of things may be different to what’s actually happening due to the murder,” he said.
Hastings MP Neale Burgess released a letter on Wednesday 30 March confirming that there is no proof of parolees at the caravan park.
Acting Minister for Corrections Robin Scott wrote to Mr Burgess that although there are legislative constraints preventing disclosure by the Adult Parole Board of a parolee’s residential address, the board “is not aware of any arrangement for parolees to reside at the Tooradin Caravan and Tourist Park.”
The letter continued: “Further, the board is not aware of any parole order with a residential condition requiring the parolee to reside at Tooradin Caravan and Tourist Park.”
