Council's $200k woes: what cops are doing about it
TWEED-Byron police are calling for public assistance, and increasing their patrols around Tweed Shire Council depots, following reports of devastating thefts and vandalism to the council's assets.
According to the council over the past 15 months, losses have "sky-rocketed”, with thieves stealing more than $121,000 worth of stock and $96,000 worth of damage to vehicles and buildings.
Today, the council's general manager Troy Green called on residents to directly alert police of any suspicious activity outside of business hours, at council depots in Cabarita and Murwillumbah.
Tweed Byron LAC police acting inspector Chad Deegenaars reinforced the council's message, saying residents shouldn't approach those suspected, but call 000 instead.
"We do take these matters seriously and obviously the thieves are targeting these locations because they are vulnerable,” Act Insp Deegenaars said.
"Obviously these locations are not manned 24 hours a day and thieves consider them a soft target.
"We are ramping up measures to target this activity; the Crime Manager has been liaising with council and our police are stepping up patrols as well.
"Police are being proactive and have made some major arrests in relation to stealing offences recently.”
