April was our third highest month on record for burglaries

/

For the Mid West Gascoyne district in April 2015, 187 burglaries of dwellings were recorded by Police. 

This is third highest number we have on record (since July 1999). What makes this number even more startling is that it occurred in April, not a December or January when home burglaries usually spike in number. 

The number is significantly higher than the most recent December and January figures of 142 and 155 respectively. 

The only time 187 has been surpassed was:

January 2014 - 192 Burglaries of dwellings
January 2002 - 198 Burglaries of dwellings

Of note

  • Rangeway recorded its single worst month ever for home burglaries, with 34. That's more than one per day. 
  • The entire suburb of Wandina which includes all of Seacrest, according to data from the WA Police, recorded only 1 burglary for the entire month of April. 
  • In April of 2014, there were 89 home burglaries in the Mid West Gascoyne district, almost 100 less than this year. 

Suspicious markings appear overnight

/

Multiple residents have reported finding suspicious markings at the front of their homes last night and this morning. One person said they found markings after a man came to their door claiming to be looking for a lost football. 

Please report any suspicious activity to Geraldton Police on 9923 4555 

Petition to investigate causes of crime in Geraldton

/

Lewis Freer for the Geraldton Guardian:

Geraldton Residents Demand Our Streets Back leader Michele McLean has launched a new petition calling on the WA Government to hold a Parliamentary inquiry into the causes of crime and anti-social behaviour in the City of Greater Geraldton.


Click here to read full article

Two men arrested following Bluff Point burglary

/

A female occupant disturbed a man who had broken into her home last night in Bluff Point, say Police. 

The incident occurred around 9pm Wednesday evening (20/5/15). 

Geraldton Police attended and found two men nearby who were arrested in relation to the matter. 

Police say each of the men had in their possession gloves, torches and other items that are commonly used to break into people's homes. 

Both of the men were charged with burglary, as well as other outstanding matters that were not connected to this particular incident. They will appear in court today. 

67 year old woman attacked and robbed

/

Geraldton Police are asking for help from the public after a 67 year old woman was attacked early this morning. 

Police say that around 12:10 am this morning the woman returned to her home in Abelia Street in Rangeway. She was in the process of closing her front gate when an unidentified male approached her. 

Police allege the male hit the woman in the face without warning, and stole her handbag.

The attacker then fled on foot. 

Police and the K9 unit attended the area however the attacker was not found. 

The victim sustained facial injuries during the attack and later received medical treatment. 

Geraldton Detectives will be investigating this matter and anyone with information is asked to contact the Geraldton Police Station on 9923 4555. 

Police dog "Bucky" assists in catching thieves syphoning fuel

/

Picture via Mid West Police on Facebook

Two men have been charged after Police dog "Bucky" assisted last Friday in a call for assistance. 

Police media release follows:

At about 3:30am on Friday 15 May 2015 police responded to a call for assistance at a property on Horseshoe Court, Deepdale.
Police dog ‘Bucky’ was deployed at the property where police will allege that two male persons were located. It will further be alleged that the two persons were attempting to syphon fuel from vehicles. The two males were subsequently arrested.
A 28 year old male from Spalding was charged with stealing and trespass while a 35 year old male from Carlisle was charged with stealing, trespass and possess drug paraphernalia. Both persons will appear at the Geraldton Magistrates Court at a later date. 

Australian Federal Police data may have been stolen in Pacnet security breach

/

Telstra has just announced that a company they recently acquired, Pacnet, recently suffered a major security breach. 

Telstra says it was not informed of the breach until after the acquisition had been finalised. 

Josh Taylor reporting for ZDNet:

The Australian Federal Police is a customer of Pacnet, and Telstra could not rule out that AFP information may have been accessed in the breach.

Click here to read full story. 

Drug-driver found with knuckle dusters

/

The number of people testing positive to illicit drugs while behind the wheel is continuing to increase in Geraldton.

Last Thursday (14/5/15) Police stopped a Holden Commodore travelling along the North West Coastal Highway in Beresford. 

The 32 year old man who was driving the vehicle tested positive for illicit drugs. 

Police also say they found a set of knuckledusters in the dash compartment of the vehicle.

Inquiries are ongoing in relation to the positive drug swipe test.

The Geraldton man will appear at the Geraldton Magistrates Court at a later date charged with "carry or possess prohibited weapon". 

Two men charged over large drug bust in Waggrakine

/

Australian Customs and Border Protection along with Geraldton Detectives executed a search warrant at a home in Star Street, Waggrakine last Wednesday (13/5/15) uncovering a large amount of drugs and other paraphernalia. 

Police say they located: 

  • approximately 56 grams of crystal meth
  • 72 grams of cannabis
  • two hydroponic cannabis plants
  • large amount of smoking implements
  • an amount of Australian currency
  • other drug paraphernalia

A 39 year old male from Strathalbyn was charged with "possess prohibited drug" and will appear at the Geraldton Magistrates Court at a later date.

A 41 year old male from Waggrakine was arrested and conveyed to the Geraldton Police Station where he was later charged with the following offences;

1 x Carry or Possess Prohibited Weapon
1 x Possess / Cultivate Prohibited Plant
2 x Possess with Intent to Sell/Supply
1 x Possessed any Drug Paraphernalia
1 x Possessing Stolen Property

He will appear at the Geraldton Magistrates Court on 28 May 2015. 

Bill Rowe's killer back in jail after committing a "terrifying house raid"

/

Amanda Banks and Gabrielle Knowles for the West Australian: 

"The man jailed for killing farmer Bill Rowe with a cricket bat at a Geraldton beach on Christmas Day in 2007 is in jail again after a burglary that "absolutely petrified" a woman who was at home alone."

  • Mathew McDonald was given only five years for his original offence. 
  • He never applied for parole while service that sentence.  
  • He is now back in jail after another home invasion.  

Neighbours from HELL

/

Tania Barras has been living next to the neighbours from hell. 

Despite numerous complaints to the Police and Department of Housing she and her family continue to live under constant harassment and threat. 

Today she shared a little more of the trouble she’s been experiencing, including footage of her neighbours bashing down her fence. Friends contacted GWN who will reportedly be broadcasting more of the story tonight at 5:30. 

After a friend visited Tania today, this occurred: "They've just followed a friend out in her car...waited for her to stop at a light, got out of there car and rushed her window...she's going straight to the police station”

A little later, a GWN7 reporter was stuck inside the house: "Gwn are here. ..stuck in side. ..”

3 pistols 5 rifles stolen in robbery

/

The following was sent to Everything Geraldton this afternoon: 

 "My house was robbed last night near Binnu around 10pm

3 pistols and 5 rifles were stolen
a reward is offered for solid information 
Browning buck mark 22
357 smith and Wesson 8 shot in stainless
Unique single shot 7mm
Two 30.30 lever action rifles marlin in stainless and old Winchester 
Sako 22 250
Tika 223
Norica air rifle

Believe it was one person in a sedan 

Any help would be greatly appreciated to catch these lowlife scums"

 

This bar appears to have been used to open safe.  

This is how "finders keepers" will get you in hot water

/

Pic via Mid West Police Facebook  

A 38 year old woman is being charged with unlawful possession after trying to exchange some foreign currency at the Commonwealth Bank. 

Bank staff obviously thought something was suspicios so they contacted Police while the woman was trying to carry out her transaction. 

Police found the woman had several hundred US dollars in her possession, but she claimed she found the money.  

However, possession of stolen property is against the law regardless of whether you "found it" or not. 

The woman was arrested and taken to Geraldton Police station.  

The woman told police she found the money in a nearby bush area, and Police went there and found more money and phone cards.  

The currency and phone cards were returned to the rightful owner. 

The 38 year old female from Geraldton will appear at the Geraldton Magistrates Court on 14 May 2015 charged with unlawful possession. 

Assistance sought regarding indecent assault

/

Geraldton Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance with information regarding an indecent assault that occurred on Friday, 17 April 2015 in Bluff Point. 

Police say that at about 9:30pm, a 32 year old woman was walking along Railway Street before crossing to North West Coastal Highway through bush land when a man approached her from behind. The man pushed her to the ground and indecently assaulted her.

The woman managed to run away from the man.

The man is described as being 45 to 50 years of age, fair skinned, approximately 165cms tall, with a medium build, thick dark brown hair tied in a ponytail and facial stubble. The man had a tattoo on one arm that appeared to be of Celtic design.

He was wearing black shorts, a black short sleeved shirt and work boots. It is believed the man fled in a grey dual cab utility with a silver bull bar.

Police would like to speak with anyone who was in the area around the time of the incident who may have seen the incident, the vehicle or anyone acting suspiciously.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Geraldton Detectives on 9923 4555.

Power pole snapped in half by this driver

/

A Geraldton resident has shared images of an incident in Tamblyn Street last night. According to witnesses, the driver "did a runner" after snapping the pole in half.  

Another resident said that the vehicle was stolen from a single mother who is now car-less.  

We're over it

/

I hung my head as I read earlier in the week of a few youths who participated in a crime spree being given the heavy sentence of nothing, but strongly advised they should apologise to their victims. 

What's it going to take for the magistrates to realise what these kids are lacking is discipline? By being so soft on them you're withholding exactly what they're crying out for in their lives; someone who loves them enough to discipline them. 

Instead, day after day, we have to read about, hear, or experience for ourselves the nonsense these young out of control criminals are doing in our community. 

Just tonight a young man was chased by a gang of thirteen youths and only narrowly avoided getting bashed. 

The Police have launched a Facebook page, and have a division called the Local Policing Team or LPT. And I'm glad they send out emails. And I'm glad they make tracking the massive spike in burglaries easy to measure with online tools. And I'm glad we have more CCTV. 

But it all feels like shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. As long as magistrate Donna Webb and team think committing six aggravated burglary offences doesn't warrant any punishment, almost everything the Police do is a complete waste of time. If I was the copper who spent time, energy, paperwork, received abuse, all while I could have been making more money elsewhere, only to see the courts let the crims back onto the street with nothing more than a stern talking to, I would wonder why I bothered!

And the young person that had a massive criminal record already? He must have gone to jail, surely? Did he get a year at least? No. He got an "intensive youth supervision order", which is involves having to participate in a program, and between 10 and 100 hours of community service. 

Look, no-one delights in seeing people go to jail. But if a decent consequence occurred earlier on in life, perhaps some of these kids would stop sooner. We don't want to remove the rehabilitation programs, but it doesn't take a genius to realise that what we've been trying for the last 30 years has failed miserably. 

This video below of street fighting in Bogle Way in Spalding appeared on the internet this evening with the caption of "The results of drinking all night in Geraldton." I would add: "And the knowledge that there are no consequences for your actions." 
I'm pretty sure the Geraldton magistrates don't live in Bogle Way.

We're over it

We're over itI hung my head as I read earlier in the week of a few youths who participated in a crime spree being given the heavy sentence of nothing, but strongly advised they should apologise to their victims. What's it going to take for the magistrates to realise what these kids are lacking is discipline? By being so soft on them you're withholding exactly what they're crying out for in their lives; someone who loves them enough to discipline them. Instead, day after day, we have to read about, hear, or experience for ourselves the nonsense these young out of control criminals are doing in our community. Just tonight a young man was chased by a gang of thirteen youths and only narrowly avoided getting bashed. The Police have launched a Facebook page, and have a division called the Local Policing Team or LPT. And I'm glad they send out emails. And I'm glad they make tracking the massive spike in burglaries easy to measure with online tools. And I'm glad we have more CCTV. But it all feels like shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. As long as magistrate Donna Webb and team think committing six aggravated burglary offences doesn't warrant any punishment, almost everything the Police do is a complete waste of time. If I was the copper who spent time, energy, paperwork, received abuse, all while I could have been making more money elsewhere, only to see the courts let the crims back onto the street with nothing more than a stern talking to, I would wonder why I bothered!And the young person that had a massive criminal record already? He must have gone to jail, surely? Did he get a year at least? No. He got an "intensive youth supervision order", which is involves having to participate in a program, and between 10 and 100 hours of community service. Look, no-one delights in seeing people go to jail. But if a decent consequence occurred earlier on in life, perhaps some of these kids would stop sooner. We don't want to remove the rehabilitation programs, but it doesn't take a genius to realise that what we've been trying for the last 30 years has failed miserably. This video below of street fighting in Bogle Way in Spalding appeared on the internet this evening with the caption of "The results of drinking all night in Geraldton." I would add: "And the knowledge that there are no consequences for your actions." I'm pretty sure the Geraldton magistrates don't live in Bogle Way.

Posted by Everything Geraldton on Thursday, April 30, 2015