By Kyra Gillespie
The Upper Beaconsfield Community Centre was packed to the rafters last night for the town’s inaugural crime forum.
At the helm of the ‘Community Against Crime’ meeting on Wednesday 27 February was Upper Beaconsfield resident Natalie Roberts, who has herself been a victim of crime.
“It went far better than anyone expected,” Ms Roberts said.
“People were packed out the door; there simply wasn’t enough room for everyone.
“It just shows how strong our community is – to come together with such force. I believe that spirit stems from the Ash Wednesday bush fires; we’ve got each other’s backs.”
The event was attended by police officers and members of Neighbourhood Watch, as well as Liberal State and Federal MPs Jason Wood and Brad Battin.
“Police reassured us that we are one of the best areas around with regards to crime and gave us helpful pointers about how to be more vigilant,” Ms Roberts continued.
“The main message was how to exercise crime prevention; police said around 80 per cent of the cars stolen in the area are because doors are left open or the keys are in them. Most of the criminals are opportunists, and there are simple measures we can take to prevent crime from happening.
“The community really took all of it on board; looking around I could see everyone taking it in. We were all there to be educated.”
Police also emphasised the importance of following the local Eyewatch page on Facebook to keep up with all the police news.
For Ms Roberts – whose life was turned upside down when, three years ago, an ice-crazed intruder entered her bedroom – the community meeting was somewhat cathartic.
“It was quite an emotional experience for me to see all of that support – it was just incredible,” she said.
“For me the winning moment of the night was towards the end, when a man stood up and asked police: ‘What about the victims of crime?’
“It turns out the same drug addict broke into his property on the same night; his wife was especially affected.“We were hit by the same man and experienced the same damage, and they got no support. We connected and plan to catch up to talk about our experiences. I believe it will bring the closure they have needed and healing for us both.”
