THE community is right to be concerned about what seems to be a growing level of violence in Bathurst.
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What is most alarming about the new trend, though, is that people have been targeted in their own homes.
Twice in the past month, police have been called to home invasions.
And while the incidents were just two kilometres apart, police believe at this stage that they are not linked. That is even more alarming.
In the first incident last month, an elderly couple were confronted by an intruder in their home on Freestone Way.
It appears to be the case of a robbery gone wrong, but both residents were assaulted during the break-in and were taken to hospital to be treated for numerous injuries, including cuts to the head and back and bruising to the arms and face.
In the second home invasion just this week, two intruders – including one armed with a machete – entered a home in Green Street.
This is a disturbing development in our region.
The term “home invasion” was first used about 20 years ago to describe a spate of violent break-ins, primarily in south-western Sydney.
In those cases, it was often overseas-born intruders attacking overseas-born victims in their homes.
The perpetrators relied on their victims’ inherent distrust of police to create a cone of silence that protected them from prosecution.
We cannot allow a similar code to develop in Bathurst. Each of us has a duty to our family and our neighbours to report any signs of suspicious activity.
Police cannot be everywhere and they rely on the rest of the community to be their eyes and ears.
Anyone with information on either of these incidents – no matter how minor the detail – is urged to call Bathurst police on 6332 8699 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Two home invasions in a month might just be a statistical blip, or it may be the start of a terrifying new trend in our region.
Community vigilance can help ensure it is more of the former than the latter.