SOME Bathurst locals are taking the Christmas spirit just a bit too far.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While this may be the season of giving, that should not extend to giving crooks a free ride.
Bathurst police have reported a spike in motor vehicle thefts in recent days, particularly around the Kelso area.
Each reported theft is not only a major inconvenience for the owner of the stolen vehicle but also an unnecessary use of valuable resources as officers are tasked to investigating the crimes.
What makes it worse, however, is when the victims of the crimes have played a role in making themselves vulnerable.
Too often police are finding that vehicles have been stolen only after the owner has either left the car in the ignition or left them hidden in the world’s most obvious spots such as under the visor or beneath the driver’s seat.
It’s a simple mistake that can have costly consequences, but such behaviour by car owners is also incredibly frustrating for police.
Of course, it shouldn’t be that way.
We should live in a world where we can safely leave our keys in the car or our front door unlocked, but we don’t. And we haven’t for many years.
Instead, we must all do our little bit to help the police do their jobs most effectively.
Officers have asked residents to call in if they see suspicious behaviour in their neighbourhood rather than walking by and hoping the next person makes the report.
And that simply highlights the important role the community has to play in all policing. No matter how much money the state throws at law and order, the police can never be in all places at all times.
And when they’re not around, it’s up to the law-abiding men and women of Bathurst to be their eyes and ears.
Good police work relies on good information and, primarily, that information must come from regular people who have seen or heard something out of the ordinary.
The community also has a role to play in preventing crime in the first place by taking simple steps such as securing our homes and not leaving valuables in the car.
Police who do not have to investigate petty, opportunistic crimes have more time available for the jobs we want them to be doing.
We must work together to make the Bathurst region the best, and safest, it can be. And that means taking your keys with you.