“Reporting is essential to preventing and solving crime”

Crime Stoppers NSW and the NSW Police Force, Rural Crime Prevention Team are at AgQuip, Gunnedah today to announce a state-wide crime campaign calling for the community to ramp up rural crime reporting with the aim of solving and preventing further crime.

Crime in rural NSW continues to remain high with 81%* of farmers experiencing crimes such as stock and fuel theft, trespassing and illegal hunting. The impact of crimes is exceptionally high causing financial, physical, and psychological devastation to farmers and has a flow on effect to the wider Australian economy.

However, the reporting of these crimes continues to be extremely low, and without these reports, crimes cannot be solved, and criminals remain free to continue to cause further havoc for our farmers.

A Rural Crime Advisory Group was established to enable community consultation to develop messaging and initiatives to help increase crime reporting and reduce crime.

Initiated by Crime Stoppers, the advisory group also includes the Rural Crime Prevention Team, Centre for Rural Criminology UNE, NSW Farmers Association, Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association, Livestock & Transporters Association, Livestock, Bulk & Rural Carriers Association, and the County Women’s Association.

This collaboration is working to ensure awareness and messaging on rural crime will reach the rural community in many different ways with the aim to increase victim reports to the Police Assistance Line (PAL) and increase reports on criminal activity to Crime Stoppers in order that strategies can be developed to prevent further crime. We need to be better informed; we can’t do that without the public reporting crime.

We know there are several barriers to reporting crime – confidence in what can be done; retrieval of stolen items; feeling personally responsible for the theft with costs and difficulty in implementing prevention measures and concern around retaliation as it may be someone, they know given their smaller communities.

A new campaign has been developed to address these barriers and work together for a better outcome for our farmers demonstrating the many different ways the community can report crime in their area including PAL, their local police station, Crime Stoppers and Triple Zero for emergencies. The campaign centres on the tagline – Be a pal and report any theft, any time, to PAL on 131 444 – and – Report suspicious or actual criminal information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

CEO of Crime Stoppers NSW, Mr Peter Price said we can’t build community resilience and infrastructure if we are in the dark about farm crime.

“Being a victim of crime and reporting the crime, matters. If police don’t know about the crime, they can’t do anything. The more information reported, the better equipped the police are to act to prevent or solve a crime”, said Mr Price.

“If we all work together, the result will be a better, more prosperous future, and safer and healthier communities.

Under reporting of rural crime is always a significant barrier to targeting offenders. During 2021 and 2022 police recorded a decrease in the number of stock theft, malicious damage, and trespass offences on rural properties within NSW. However, during this period, police recorded a 96% increase in the number of reported fuel theft incidents.

Rural industries have told police that fuel theft was a major issue, however previously the incidents were not being reported to police. With the increased reporting of this crime, it will provide police with information to develop strategies to target specific locations and identify suspects.

The State Rural Crime Coordinator of the NSWPF Rural Crime Prevention Team, Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Whiteside said under reporting of rural crime continues to be a major problem in helping police prevent and solve crime.

“We need a whole of community approach to reduce and solve crime in regional areas and there are some measures that individuals can do to help prevent crime from happening to them,” said Det/Ch Insp Whiteside.

Farmers are urged to accurately record livestock identification, remove keys from machinery, keep photos of valuable stock to assist with identifying them and install quality locking devices on your gates, sheds, and equipment.

“If you see or hear of anything you believed to be suspicious such as a vehicle in an area it’s not meant to be, or stock being moved late at night; we urge you to call Crime Stoppers or your local police.”

The NSW Police Force Firearms Registry will have a presence at various agricultural events across the state to encourage community engagement.  They will be providing firearms safe storage guidance to rural firearms licence holders, as there is a direct correlation between improved safe storage of firearms and a reduction in firearms theft in rural areas.

The Firearms Registry is currently undertaking a campaign on Firearms Future Plans, asking licensed firearms owners to think ahead and include firearms in their estate plans. When firearms are not considered in estate planning, they are vulnerable to becoming lost or stolen.

All firearms owners should register their guns using the Gun Safe Customer Portal. With the recent digitisation of firearms licence expiry reminders notices, firearm registration certificates and permits to acquire firearms, this information is readily accessible electronically, reducing the risk of mail and paper-based firearms records becoming lost or targeted for the purpose of firearms theft with an overarching aim of improving community safety.

To assist the community further, Crime Stoppers and the Rural Crime Prevention Team have produced a range of free collateral to assist farmers, from pocket notebooks to record what they see to gate signs for property protection with details on where and how to report crime.  In addition, the Rural Crime Prevention Team and Crime Stoppers will have a presence at various agricultural events across the state to encourage community engagement.

The Advisory Group partners, along with the NSW Australian Hoteliers Association will all be helping to spread the message with their networks, ensuring a wider reach to the NSW community.

Liquor and Policing, Australian Hoteliers Association of NSW, Mr John Green said in regional NSW, pubs are very much community hubs so we are pleased to be able to help in getting the message out to patrons of the importance of reporting rural crime.

Fact sheets with prevention measures for farmers can be found on the NSW Crime Stoppers website at https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/be-safe/.

Crime in regional areas is not new, however it continues to be a growing area of concern for the whole of NSW, not just the farming community and therefore it needs a whole of community approach.

• You can help by reporting anything suspicious, strange, or concerning.
• Any piece of information, anything you have seen or heard, may be crucial in preventing or solving a crime.
• Call or click Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000/ nsw.crimestoppers.com.au
• For a crime in progress call Triple Zero (000). Save Triple Zero for Emergencies (000)

*Source:  NSW Farmers Survey, data analysis February 2021, Centre for Rural Criminology, University of New England.’

 Additional Images and video/audio footage can be found HERE

***PLEASE NOTE: Media inquiries and requests for interviews can be directed to Media Officer, Crime Stoppers NSW, Cecelia Haddad on phone: 0411 264 948 or email: [email protected] ***

New research commissioned by NSW Crime Stoppers has found many parents do not believe or believe it’s unlikely that their child is at risk of being contacted by a stranger online.

The survey*, conducted with over 1,000 parents across Australia, looked at the attitudes and behaviours of parents regarding their child’s online activity. While over 93% of parents were concerned about a stranger approaching their child online, the study found 16.7% of parents thought their child was not at risk at all of being contacted by a stranger online and a further 26.5% thought it was unlikely.

In the lead up to National Child Protection Week run by NAPCAN, NSW Crime Stoppers has once again partnered with the eSafety Commissioner to firmly focus on promoting awareness of the dangers of the online playground and how to create a safer environment for children.

During 2020, the eSafety Commissioner’s (eSafety) Cyber Report team received 21,000 public reports, the majority of which involved child sexual abuse material. This was the most in the scheme’s 20-year history and a 90 per cent increase compared to 2019.

“Unwanted contact, grooming and child sexual abuse online continues to be a devastating issue, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” explains CEO, NSW Crime Stoppers, Mr Peter Price AM.

“Many parents would not leave their child alone in a playground and we want parents to think the same about the online playground. The internet is not ‘fenced off’ like in a community playground and even with parental controls, sexual predators can still find ways to connect with children online.  Until we can build a safe online playground for our children, we just ask parents to be vigilant around their child’s online activity and report anything you see, hear or suspect,” added Mr Price.

eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, says that while they have seen big increases across all their reporting areas, parents should be aware, not alarmed.

“We’ve all turned to the internet during this pandemic to help us continue to work, learn, communicate and be entertained but with all this extra time we are spending online, often unsupervised, the risk that something can go wrong increases too,” said Ms Inman Grant.

“Parents and guardians have a role to play in keeping children safe online and we encourage parents and guardians to be actively involved in their children’s online lives. This can include ensuring children use devices in open areas of the home, talking regularly with children about the potential dangers online and helping them build the critical reasoning skills they need to make good decisions.”

The NSW Police Force (NSWPF) acknowledges the importance of National Child Protection Week and continues to support this initiative by not only bringing awareness to child protection, but also by encouraging children, young people, and their families to reach out for help if they need assistance, especially during this current pandemic.

“We acknowledge it has been another difficult year for children, families and communities dealing with COVID-19 and being isolated can leave many of our children more susceptible and vulnerable to victimisation. Children are spending more time online and this can place them at a higher risk of being targeted by online predators; and some may also be subjected to domestic and family violence or feel vulnerable in terms of mental health,” NSWPF Youth Sponsor, Assistant Commissioner Gelina Talbot said.

“We all have a responsibility to ensure children and young people in the community are safe, protected and supported, and are able to succeed in life without fear of harm and exploitation. This week provides us with an opportunity to highlight the issues children face and collaborate with others to enhance our response to keeping families and children safe and supported.”

Crime Stoppers, in conjunction with eSafety, has developed a Fact Sheet which has information on a range of prevention strategies to help keep children safe online. This can be downloaded at www.nsw.crimestoppers.com.au or for information and tips on how to keep your child safe online to go esafety.gov.au/parents

Protect your child’s privacy: esafety.gov.au/parents/skills-advice/privacy-child

Find reporting links for social media services, games and apps: esafety.gov.au/esafety-guide

Protect your child from unwanted contact: esafety.gov.au/parents/big-issues/unwanted-contact

Child sexual abuse material can be reported anonymously to the eSafety Commissioner at www.esafety.gov.au/reportillegalcontent

If you have seen inappropriate behaviour towards child online, including online grooming and unwanted contact, please make a report to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) at www.accce.gov.au/report. There is no information too small or insignificant to report.

In an emergency, always call Triple 0 (000).

Issued at 5am, Tuesday 1 December 2020

NSW Police and Crime Stoppers NSW are calling on road users to report drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving on roads across the state as part of a new safety campaign.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Command and Crime Stoppers will be joined by Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott, and Minister for Transport and Roads, Andrew Constance, to launch the Four Ds (drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving) campaign today (Tuesday 1 December 2020).

The campaign is focused on enlisting the community’s help to crack down on the Four Ds to prevent crashes and keep loved ones safe.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott, said dangerous driving is unacceptable and the NSW Government is determined to highlight the concerning behaviour.

“This Government is committed to community safety and we know that the 4Ds – drink, drug, dangerous and distracted driving are a significant contributor to deaths on our roads. The people of NSW have been through enough this year, we want to see everyone enjoy the Christmas and New Year periods with family without tragedy or chaos,” Mr Elliott said.

“This behaviour is deplorable and we’re determined to help put a stop to it once and for all. The NSW Police Force and Crime Stoppers initiative reminds us all that we each contribute to safety on our roads.”

280 people have died on NSW roads so far this year (from 1 January 2020 to 26 November 2020), with speed a factor in 28 percent of cases, drugs a factor in 20 percent, 16 percent alcohol-related.

Traffic and Highway Patrol Commander Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb said more people will be using NSW roads in coming weeks with borders reopening and the Christmas holidays period approaching.

“Keeping the public safe is our top priority. We’re asking for you to help us protect yourselves, loved ones and the community on NSW roads. If you see or know anyone who is drink, drug, dangerous or distracted driving, please report it to Crime Stoppers and we will investigate,” said Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb.

“Our message to motorists breaking the law is clear: someone is watching you now and you will get caught,” said Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb.

Assistant Commissioner Webb has highlighted some ways road users can report the Four Ds without jeopardising their own safety or breaking the law:

• Use a passenger to record the time of the incident and the registration of the driver’s vehicle.
• If possible, keep dashcam vision of the incident and provide it to Crime Stoppers or police.
• If it’s an emergency – where there is a threat to life or someone’s safety – please call Triple Zero (000) through a passenger, hands-free, or pull over somewhere safe.
• If it’s not an emergency, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The CEO of Crime Stoppers NSW Peter Price AM said he hopes the community’s involvement will help improve safety and accountability on NSW roads.

“Never before have we asked the community to report these crimes and Crime Stoppers NSW is the first, not only in Australia, but around the world, to initiate this campaign,” said Crime Stoppers NSW CEO, Peter Price AM, said.

“This is one of the most important campaigns we have ever embarked upon. These traffic issues are an offence and these offences often lead to innocent people being injured or killed which is absolutely devastating for their families,” Mr Price said.

“We are counting on the community’s strong relationship with us to contact Crime Stoppers and make our roads safer for everyone,” he said.

Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the community’s support could help to save lives.

“Everyone has the right to get home safely to their loved ones at night. Reporting dangerous behaviour on our roads could be the difference between life and death.”

“We’ve already seen far too many people killed and seriously injured in road trauma this year. We need everyone in the community to help us put a stop to this tragedy and trauma.”

Issued by NSW Police Force Media Unit (02) 8263 6100
Authorised by A/C Webb, THPC
(Ref:af:meddocs/medrel/2020/November/THPCFourDs.YES.061120)

MEDIA RELEASE

Blitz Against Environmental Crime

**Editor’s Note: For further information please contact Crime Stoppers Media Officer, Cecelia Haddad, [email protected] or phone 0411 264 948**

A new state-wide environmental crime campaign by Crime Stoppers is being launched to address the ongoing issue of crimes having a devastating effect on our waterways.

For the first time Crime Stoppers has collaborated with both Local Land Services (LLS) and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) on a dedicated campaign to address the illegal trading of certain plants catastrophic to our waterways.

Plants like water hyacinth, frogbit and salvinia are illegal to trade and devastating to our environment.  These plants grow at a rapid rate, block waterways, reduce water quality and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to control.  They restrict livestock, birds and other native animals’ access to water, reduce food and shelter for fish and native animals and prevent native water plants from growing.

But it doesn’t stop there.  These water plants also put the economy and our community at risk.

“Boating, fishing and swimming will be a thing of the past if we don’t stop the growing and trading of plants which cause havoc in our waterways”, said CEO NSW Crime Stoppers, Mr Peter Price AM.

With spring fast approaching, the rapidly expanding online marketplace has become an emerging pathway for the prohibited trade of plants, and a biosecurity challenge.  It is an offence just to have frogbit plants because of the devastating impact that species can have.  So, we are appealing to the public for help.

“Community awareness and action will be crucial in stopping the prohibited trading of these plants.  We are asking anyone who sees these plants being sold online to report it to NSW Crime Stoppers. added Mr Price.

“To make a real difference and protect our waterways, we need a whole of community approach. People are spending time online and this is where most illegal trading of these plants occurs’, said Mr Price.

Local government authorities and the Nursery & Garden Industry NSW & ACT are also supporting the campaign.

Penalties of up to $1.1 million or 3 years imprisonment are in place for individuals found to be selling these plants.

If you see, know or suspect criminal activity, contact Crime Stoppers in complete confidence on 1800 333 000 or report online at https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.  We don’t want to know who you are, we just want to know what you know.

For more information about the three targeted weed species visit https://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au

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For further information, photos or interviews please contact Crime Stoppers Media Officer, Cecelia Haddad, [email protected] or phone 0411 264 948.