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Neighbourhood Watch Crime Watch News February 2012Coming Events, Counterfeit $50 notes, Counterfeit Detection Guide, Stolen vehicles, Morwell Neighbourhood Watcher Receives Australia day Award, January NHW Communities Reports. By Malcolm Lawrence - 16th February 2012 - Back to News Latrobe Crime Watch News
Latrobe Police Service Area
Neighbourhood Watch Creating Safer Communities
February 2012
IMPORTANT
NUMBERS
Emergency 000, Mobiles 112, State the service you want Police, Ambulance or Fire.
Police: Boolarra 5169 6222, Churchill 5122 1790, Moe 5127 2222, Morwell 5131 5000
Traralgon 5174 0900
Crime Stoppers
1800 333 000
Neighbourhood Watch & Safer Communities
Unit Latrobe PSA, L/S/C Brett Godden, 5131 5085, 0400 050 749.
brett.godden@police.vic.gov.au
Facebook: Senior Constable Brett
Child Protection 13 12 78, Consumer Affairs 5116 5701, Dept Primary Industry 136186.
Dispute Settlement Centre 1800 658 528, Latrobe City 1300 367 700.
Nurse on Call 1300 606 024, Poisons Information 13 11 26,
VicRoads 131170
COMING EVENTS: OPEN INVITATION TO ALL LATROBE VALLEY RESIDENTS
Monday 20th February LTB2 (Traralgon west end) Meeting Traralgon RSL 7.30 pm
Tuesday 21st February - LTB3 (Freeman Park area) - Traralgon Secondary College 7.30 pm
Wednesday 22nd February 2011 Churchill Town/CDCA Meeting - Churchill Community Hall - 7 pm
Saturday 3rd March Rotary Playground Celebration- Morwell Town Common - 10 am to 3 pm
Sunday 4th March Community Group Expo Gaskin Park, Churchill - 11 am - 2.30 pm
Monday 5th March 2012 Moe/Newborough Town Meeting Moe RSL Albert Street, Moe 7pm
Tuesday 6th March 2012 Traralgon Town Meeting - Traralgon Civic Offices, Kay St, Traralgon 7pm Wed 7th March 2012 Morwell Town Meeting Morwell RSL Boardroom Elgin Street, Morwell 7pm
Wednesday 14th March 2012 - Yallourn North Town MeetingYallourn North Bowling Club7.30 pm
Thursday 15th March 2012 - Yinnar Town Meeting - Yinnar Hotel 7.30 pm
HOT SPOTS POLICE NEED THE PUBLICS HELP
IDENTIFY THIS PASSER OF COUNTERFEIT $50 NOTES
Police continue to advise local businesses to be on the lookout for counterfeit $50 notes after more notes have been passed in Gippsland shopping centres. In recent weeks notes have been passed in a both Morwell and Moe and police now seek the assistance of the public in identifying the female suspect, pictured left.
Description: Female, aged in her 20s, blonde hair
On page four of this newsletter we have included a counterfeit detection guide. All people, not just businesses, should check all $50 notes for authenticity.
Anyone who believes they have received a fake note is asked to retain it and call the police. If possible obtain a description of the person who passed the note and of a vehicle if one was sighted. Fill in a Suspicious Incident Report which may be downloaded at the Neighbourhood Watch Victoria Website at http://www.nhw.com.au/Eastern-Region/Latrobe/Crime-Watch-Newsletters
Police urge anyone who may have information related to this incident to contact Crime Stoppers on: 1800 333 000 or visit: www.crimestoppers.com.au or ring Latrobe Criminal Investigation Unit on 5131 5049 or Morwell Police on 5131 5000.
COUNTERFEIT DETECTION GUIDE
Feel the note On a genuine banknote, slightly raised printing (dark ink) called intaglio, is used for the main design elements, such as the portraits. Check the raised print by running a finger or finger-nail across the main design elements. Also check for less clearly defined patterns around the portraits.
Look for Microprinting A genuine banknote has microprint that can usually only be read using a magnifying glass. Microprinted words are located on the top left hand corner of the front of the $5 banknote, and generally near the portraits on the other banknotes. Check that the microprinted words are clearly and sharply defined.
Feel for the slightly raised print The slightly raised printing (dark ink) can be felt by running a finger or fingernail across the main design elements, such as the portraits.
Hold the banknote up to the light and Look for Australian Coat of Arms. It should become visible under other printing. (For the $5 note, check to the left of the word Australia.)
Look at the print Genuine banknotes have multi-coloured, fine line patterns appearing on each side of the banknote. Check for irregularities such as less clearly defined patterns, thicker or thinner lines, or colour differences.
Check the note has a clear window the area around the window is uniformly smooth to touch. Within the clear window, look for: $5 a stylised gum flower; Federation $5 printed mauve area with embossing of the number '5'; $10 a windmill; $20 a compass; $50 the Southern Cross; $100 a lyrebird.
Ultra-violet Light On genuine banknotes, the serial numbers fluoresce under UV light. In all banknotes other than $10, there is an area on the back that fluoresces. Look for a serial number, wattle leaves & number 5 on the $5 note; a block with the no. 20 on the $20 note; no. 50 on the $50 note; the no. 100 on the $100 note. The rest should not fluoresce (unless treated/ contaminated with chemicals).
Look for the seven-pointed star Diamond-shaped patterns printed on each side of the banknote should combine perfectly to form a seven-pointed star inside a circle.
REPORT SUSPECT VEHICLES IN THE STREET
Car theft across Gippsland is an ongoing issue and with the exception of our small towns, it is unusual for our crime reports to not report at least one car theft a month per town. In December we reported 15 in Latrobe, 6 in Baw Baw, 3 in Bass Coast with none reported only in the South Gippsland Shire. This month we report, 8, 5, 6 and 0 respectively.
It can take less than a minute for a car thief to break into and steal a car. A majority of stolen cars are recovered within a couple of days but often are not returned in the same condition. Some are badly damaged, written off as the result of accidents or burnt out. Others are stripped for parts or reborn and thieves attempt to register the stolen vehicle at VicRoads or interstate.
Although recovery rates are high some vehicles sit idle in the street waiting for someone to report it. Vehicles stolen by the professional thief may never be seen again. But, the opportunistic thief, who takes a car for transportation to get from A to B, for a joy ride or simply to escape inclement weather, will often leave the vehicle where it is easily seen in a residential street or car park.
In an attempt to find stolen vehicles we will publish a list of those outstanding. The list will cover the whole division because the Traralgon thief may drive to the beach at Inverloch for the day or the one from Leongatha may want to visit a relative Warragul.
If you see a vehicle being stolen or dumped, call 000 immediately and ask for police, then fill in a Suspicious Activity Report.
If you know where a vehicle may be located contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit: www.crimestoppers.com.au
POLICE ADVISE THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO APPROACH THE OFFENDERS. INSTEAD CALL POLICE ON 000.
REGO YEAR MAKE BODY COLOUR STOLEN FROM DATE STOLEN
JA 308 2008 Honda250cc Motorcycle Tarwin Lower 4th January
XYI 259 2001 Ford Ute Green Tyers 17th January
FCI 217 1993 Toyota 4X4 Toongabbie 30th January
Unregist 1990 Ford S/W White Morwell 17th January
RBD 589 1989 Subaru S/W White Morwell 4th January
MORWELL NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCHER RECEIVES AUSTRALIA DAY HONOUR
The Secretary of Morwells LTB16 NHW area, Keith Brownbill, was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the local Morwell community in the recent Australia Day Honours.
Keith was recognised for his services to education and to a range of community organisations. Keith was the headmaster at Morwell High School for many years. He is a member of Rotary, Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education, is the secretary of Advance Morwell and treasurer of the Latrobe Rose and Garden Show. Keith is on the committee of the University of the Third Age where he is course co-ordinator and and teaches French, French Literature, Current Affairs, Drama and facilitates the conversation at the coffee mornings. Keith is also secretary of the Gippsland Regional Group of the Australian College of Educators.
Congratulations Keith, your extended community is very proud of you and thanks you for your efforts.
JANUARY NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH/SAFER COMMUNITIES GROUP REPORTS
BOOLARRA/YINNAR DISTRICT CRIME REPORT
THEFT - 1 for January (Nil Dec) In the only offence reported firewood was stolen from a property in Creamery Rd three times during the month. Police have a description of the vehicle involved and are following the matter up.
CHURCHILL and DISTRICT MEETING and CRIME REPORT
(INCLUDES JEERALANG)
ISSUES - Community Group Expo Gaskin Park Sunday 4th March, 2012
ASSAULTS - 13 for January (3 Dec) - Eight offenders charged, four as a result of family violence. Police are following up a suspect in relation to an assault which occurred at the service station.
ARSON - Nil for January (2 Dec)
PROPERTY DAMAGE - 8 for January (6 Dec) - One offender charged. Overnight on 19th January there were four incidents involving youths throwing rocks at passing vehicles at the intersection of Canterbury Way and Monash Way. On each occasion the rocks have hit the vehicles concerned with two sustaining damage to the windscreen. The offenders are described as 15-16 years of age and some were on pushbikes.
BURGLARY - 3 for January (4 Dec) - Two were committed on residential premises with a chainsaw stolen from Coolaroo Pl and a games console, laptop and TV stolen from a Maple Cres address. A rural shed in Hazelwood Estate Rd was entered with the unknown offenders rifling through many of the electrical/mechanical items in the shed with brush cutters, a wood splitter and some cash stolen.
THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE - 6 for January (5 Dec) - One offender charged. There was a spate of TFMV in the Hazelwood North area overnight on 26th January. Unknown offender/s entered unlocked vehicles in Rayda Court, Sunnyview Rd and Thomson Rd stealing GPS units, a wallet, cash and coins.
THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLE - Nil for January (1 Dec)
THEFT - Nil for January (Nil Dec)
ISSUES RAISED FEBRUARY Meeting not held at time of publishing.
MORWELL MEETING and CRIME REPORT(INCLUDES TYRES)
PREVIOUS ISSUES - From LTB16 Town meetings Attendance at these meetings is low, Councillors and council staff do not attend regularly and apart from Brett there are few police in attendance It is Bretts job to attend the meetings. If members wish a topic discussed or a special guest speaker, a request simply needs to be made and Brett will make arrangements.
CRIME REPORT
HOMICIDE - One homicide has been recorded within Latrobe as a result of a culpable driving incident.
SEX OFFENCES - One offender charged with an offence of a sexual nature.
ASSAULT - 22 for January (27 Dec) - 15 offenders charged. Five came to notice as a result of family violence. Police are following up suspects in relation to seven of the incidents. All assaults involved victim and offender/s having some relationship.
ARSON - 1 for January (2 Dec) The offence was committed in Booth St when a red wheelie bin was set alight.
PROPERTY DAMAGE - 33 for January (47 Dec) - Nine offenders charged. Vehicle and residential windows were the most common item damaged with most broken by rocks or stones with no apparent attempt to enter the premises or vehicles.
BURGLARY - 17 for January (17 Dec) - One offender charged with five counts of burglary and four counts of theft from two burglaries committed in January and three in December. Storage units in Saskia Way were broken into for the third time in two months with various items stolen.
THEFT FROM MOTOR CAR - 5 for January (14 Dec) - All except one were committed in residential areas with GPS units stolen from two of the vehicles. A vehicle was left locked in a car park however a window was left slightly down to allow heat to escape. This window was forced down by offenders allowing access.
THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLE - 3 for January (6 Dec) - Two vehicles stolen from Church St and Savige St have yet to be recovered. A vehicle stolen from Collins St was recovered and returned to the owner.
THEFT - 14 for January (18 Dec) - Three offenders charged with police following up two suspects in relation to other thefts. A trailer with a small excavator was stolen from the Coates Hire yard on Tramway Rd. Both are labelled with Coates Hire.
ISSUES RAISED FEBRUARY Offensive charcoal looking drawings are being bill-posted in the CBD Police are making follow-up enquiries.
MOE/NEWBOROUGH MEETING and CRIME REPORT
CRIME REPORT
ASSAULT - 23 for Jan (23 Dec) - 16 offenders charged, 13 as a result of family violence. A fan belt stretched across the footpath near the overpass in Wirraway St caused bruising to the neck of a 12 year old child bike rider when he hit the fan belt.
ARSON - 3 for January (3 Dec) - A lounge chair on the back porch of a residence in Prince St was set alight on the 26th January. Two other fires occurred in Newborough with a garden bed damaged in Monash Rd and a small grass fire in Coach Rd.
PROPERTY DAMAGE - 21 for January (28 Dec) - Seven offenders charged with five being as a result of family violence. Overnight on 15th and 16th January there were four damages where windows were broken in Wirraway St (one incident), Moore St (two incidents) and Lloyd St (one incident). In all damages windows were broken by rocks/concrete.
BURGLARY - 13 for Jan (13 Dec) - Two offenders charged. The Moe Racing Club had two buildings broken into with a number of saddles and bridles were stolen on 17th Jan. Previously a machinery shed at the club was entered with a quad bike stolen.
THEFT FROM MOTOR CAR - 6 for January (4 Dec) - Four were committed in residential driveways. In all incidents the vehicles were unlocked and wallets stolen from two with jewellery and coins from another. A fuel container and battery were stolen from the rear of a ute in a residential driveway.
THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLE - 2 for January (2 Dec) - One of the vehicles stolen has been recovered whilst the other, the quad bike stolen from the Moe Racing Club, is yet to be recovered..
THEFT (OTHER) - 8 for January (8 Dec) - One offender charged. Ten solar lights were stolen from the front yard of a premises in Torres St overnight on 12th January. Motor parts were stolen off a boat on the front lawn of a premises on Old Sale Rd.
ISSUES RAISED FEBRUARY Nil.
TRARALGON MEETING and CRIME REPORT
(INCLUDES GLENGARRY, TOONGABBIE, HAZELWOOD NORTH, TRARALGON SOUTH)
CRIME REPORT - SEX OFFENCES - One offender has been charged with indecent assault.
ROBBERY - 1 for January (1 Dec) - Police are investigating the assault and theft of pizzas from a delivery driver.
ASSAULT - 30 for January (40 Dec) 27 offenders charged. Some will face multiple charges ranging from intentionally causing injury through to making threats to kill. One victim received phone calls from an unknown male making threats to kill her. Police are following up enquiries with phone providers.
ARSON - 1 for January (1 Dec) - One offender charged after an incident at Hazelwood North.
PROPERTY DAMAGE - 31 for January (47 Dec) - Seven offenders charged. One offender will face three charges as a result of incidents in Post Office Place and Franklin St. A large number of vehicles in CBD car parks had windscreens or mirrors damaged. There were three incidents each in Franklin and Hotham St.
BURGLARY - 16 for January (22 Dec) - Nine offenders charged. Four will face charges as a result of a burglary at Kosciusko Street Primary whilst three more face charges relating to a burglary at Liddiard Rd. Keys to a vehicle were stolen from a residence in Main Rd Tyers which then led to the theft of a motor vehicle.
THEFT FROM MOTOR VEHICLE - 11 for January (15 Dec) - All except one of the TFMVs were in residential driveways or outside the address. Three sets of number plates were stolen overnight 23rd January in Forest Cl, Latrobe Cres and Furlonger St. The plates from Forest Cl were recovered two days later. Wallets and loose change/cash were the main items stolen.
THEFT OF MOTOR VEHICLE - 3 for January (6 Dec) - None of the vehicles stolen during the month have been recovered. Outstanding stolen vehicles for January: FCI217, XYI259. The third is an unreturned hire car.
THEFT - 20 for January (21 Dec) - Three offenders charged with police following up suspects in relation to two others. Four incidents occurred when victims left their phones unsupervised. The offence of theft by finding is when someone locates an item and intends to permanently keep that item without trying to locate the owner.
ISSUES RAISED FEBRUARY Hoon driving around Cameron St area - advice provided.
YALLOURN NORTH MEETING and CRIME REPORT
CRIME REPORT - ASSAULT - Nil for January (1 Dec)
ARSON - 2 for January (Nil Dec) - One offender charged as result of a family violence incident. An unknown male assaulted another male in the street overnight on 15th January.
PROPERTY DAMAGE - 1 for January (2 Dec) - One offender charged as a result of a family violence incident.
BURGLARY - 1 for January (1 Dec) - On the 1st January unknown offenders attempted to remove a flyscreen from a rear window of a residence in North Rd. No entry was gained.
ISSUES RAISED FEBRUARY Nil.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: malcolml@dcsi.net.au
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