By XAVIER SMERDON
A WYNDHAM-based group is thinking outside the square in order to tackle thefts, hoons and antisocial behaviour in the community.
Community Against Crime was formed by a small group of concerned residents in 2010.
The group’s aim is to bring together people from all over the western suburbs to assist police with making their neighbourhoods safer.
Previous initiatives launched by Community Against Crime include the Hoon Cam, which monitors member’s daily driving so that if an incident occurs the footage can be supplied as evidence.
Now their latest tool against crime is a smart phone application that allows users to share any information they have about a crime or potential crime anonymously.
Damian Marrett, a former police detective now working with the group, said the application was just one of several tools they used to combat crime.
“The iPhone app allows someone who sees a crime or something that they think might be suspicious to report it straight away and it will end up with the police,” Mr Marrett said.
“It’s basically just an assistance thing that we’re using to try and get all the streets to keep an eye out for each other.”
Mr Marrett said all the footage received by the group is handed over to police for further investigation.
“The way we look at it is some people are afraid to go to the police station and report a crime or they might not even know for sure that they saw a crime,” he said.
“If there is a robbery in a residential street and one of our members has CCTV cameras on their house they might capture part of that crime. Then another member might catch some more information.”
Mr Marrett said Community Against Crime has already had success in deterring crimes in certain areas.
“People have got sick and tired of senseless crimes in their neighbourhoods,” he said.
“Especially in a lot of new suburbs, hoons are scaring the hell out of people.”
The smart phone application has been sponsored by Swann security.
For more information visit www.communityagainstcrime.com.au
