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Australian Crime Escalates
The Australian Government recently disarmed its citizens. Here are the natural results.

"Fortresses in suburbia"
By DANNY BUTTLER
17aug01

A FORTRESS mentality is gripping householders as the law continues to lose its battle against residential break-ins.

Victoria Police crime statistics due out this month are expected to show nearly 90 per cent of burglaries in the state are never solved. In 1999-2000, fewer than 6000 of 47,000 attempted residential thefts were solved.

With more than 900 houses burgled each week, homeowners are turning to sophisticated domestic security devices to combat the crime.

AASS security company boss Michael Michaelson said the industry was barely meeting demand. "We're getting busier and busier. In residential areas there's constant work," he said. "People used to think it would never happen to them, but with so many friends and family being burgled, they're starting to worry."

Statewide crime adviser Supt Doug O'Loughlin said burglaries were among the most difficult investigations.

"With an armed robbery or assault there is a description of offenders, (but) with a burglary, unless there is something left behind like a fingerprint or DNA, there's not much to go with," he said. "It's a community problem, not just a police problem."

Burglaries also account for more than half of all house and content claims. CGU insurance spokesman Chris Jackson said an increase in claims were linked to rising premiums. "Burglary levels have a significant impact on the home contents insurance premiums people pay in Victoria, these costs are ultimately passed onto customers," he said.

Burglary costs society more than dollars.

Crime Victims Support Association president Noel McNamara said many people, especially the elderly, believed their home was no longer safe. "We're very concerned because it terrorises a lot of old people who just don't feel safe in their own homes," he said. "It's reached the stage where its an epidemic, everyone seems to have been broken into at least once."

© 2001 Herald Sun

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