April 12, 2023
Cherbourg Mayor Elvie Sandow called an urgent meeting with police, Youth Justice and other community service providers on Tuesday after a weekend of “chaotic behaviour” in the community.
“We are deeply concerned about the recent upturn in youth-related crimes in our community,” Mayor Sandow said.
“Over the Easter weekend, we witnessed a significant increase in deliberately lit fires, graffiti, vandalism, break and enter, theft, destruction of property and Elder abuse.
“One of the most alarming issues we face is children who are going hungry, are traumatised, engaging in risky behaviours such as sniffing petrol.”
Mayor Sandow said immediate action needed to be taken to recognise the issues and prevent them from escalating further.
“Parents and carers, we urge if you are struggling, please reach out to the various services providers who are here to help,” the Mayor said.
Police have asked Cherbourg residents to take extra measures to secure their vehicles, and use lockable fuel caps to prevent fuel theft.
“We also need to address the lack of support after hours, with night patrols only running a few days a week,” Mayor Sandow said.
“As a council, community as well as service providers funded to act in our community, we need to work together to address this problem.
“We are calling on agencies to collaborate and fill the service gap after hours in our community, providing support for our youth to prevent them from engaging in such harmful behaviour.
“It is essential the issues that are generating these behaviours are addressed to make our community a safer and better place for all, and we must take immediate action to achieve this.”
