By NATALIE GALLENTI
MELTON Police are calling on parents to adequately supervise their children during the school holidays, saying there is often a spike in criminal behaviour during this period.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Robert Henley told Star parents needed to be vigilant during the upcoming school holidays as rowdy teenagers left unsupervised had a tendency to “terrorise the neighbourhood”.
“Make sure you know where your kids are and that they’re not wandering the streets at night,” Det Act Sen Sgt Henley said.
He said often when teenager boys gathered in one spot “male bravado” took over and trouble would likely occur.
Det Act Sen Sgt Henley said police stepped up patrols during the holiday period, particularly in and around school grounds, and implored adolescents to refrain from criminal activity.
“Don’t fall prey to peer pressure.
“Be strong enough to say no … a lot of adverse dealings kids have with police is because they lacked the sense to just say no … and they go down a path they would never have gone.”
He also cautioned parents about youngsters staying out too late and riding bikes and scooters.
Meanwhile, police have increased patrols in Kurunjang as a result of a string of thefts from motor vehicles in the area.
Police are calling on residents to keep an eye out for people acting suspiciously in the area and have made a plea to all residents to not leave any valuable items in their cars.
The call comes in the wake of six thefts in recent weeks in the small suburb. In most incidents the rear window was smashed and the glovebox searched, with small items taken from the vehicle.
