August 22, 2017
A project by the Kumbia Neighbourhood Watch group should make more than 600 rural properties throughout the South Burnett just a little bit safer.
The group approached Stanwell Corporation to fund the manufacture of special signs that owners of rural properties could place on their gates to deter thieves.
The signs state that it is private property and covert CCTV cameras are in use; they also warn that trespassers on the property will be prosecuted.
The prominent police and Crime Stoppers logos could also be enough to scare off some thieves.
Kumbia Officer-in-Charge, Senior Constable Adam Entwistle, said he had borrowed the idea from his colleague at Yarraman police station, Sergeant Sean Relf, who has been distributing similar signs around the Yarraman district with success.
Snr Const Entwistle and the Kumbia Neighbourhood Watch group then approached Stanwell to see if they could support the project financially.
Stanwell donated $5000 which enabled 670 heavy duty signs to be made in Nanango.
As well as being a deterrent to enter farms illegally, the signs also remove the Common Law right of entry on to a property.
Snr Const Entwistle said this meant police could quickly arrest anyone spotted on a rural property who should not be there.
More and more rural properties have concealed CCTV cameras monitoring their gates, but the signs will also be given to property owners who have not yet had security equipment fitted.
It will be up to the would-be thieves to take their chances …
“Our goal is to get a sign on every rural fence,” Snr Const Entwistle said.
He said there had been problems with property crime and stock thefts in the local area, but another big problem was hunters coming on to properties without permission, leaving gates open and allowing cattle to wander.
The signs have been issued to Blackbutt, Yarraman, Nanango, Kingaroy, Kumbia, Wondai, Murgon and Proston police stations.
Snr Constable Entwistle said property owners who would like a sign should drop into their nearest station with a copy of their rates notice.
