Plea: Don't let crims take over

FED UP: Concerned Featherston residents pack out Kiwi Hall to figure out how to tackle crime in the town.PHOTO/VOMLE SPRINGFORD WTA250813VSFEATHY06

Police and social agencies faced myriad questions and complaints from Featherston residents at a packed crime-prevention meeting in the Kiwi Hall.

Sunday's meeting had been a long time coming for many residents, sick and tired of a recent spate of crime in the town - particularly burglaries.

About 150 to 200 people filled the hall, itching to ask the police, Child Youth and Family and other agencies what they were doing about it.

Peter Jackson, the meeting convener, said it had been an opportunity to find out what options residents had.

"We can't sit on our hands and let crime take over our town," Mr Jackson said.

Mr Jackson's wife, Barbara, said it was important to have the meeting to discourage vigilante action.

South Wairarapa Mayor Adrienne Staples announced a council project to install security cameras in the three South Wairarapa towns.

The police were keen to make use of this to track cars, said Wairarapa police area commander Inspector Brent Register.

Featherston's situation was not unique in New Zealand, Mr Register said.

Resident Richard Clark, whose house was burgled in March, said he used to feel safe, but not any more.

"Featherston is a microcosm of NZ's social issues," he said.

Overall, crime in the town had actually decreased in the last calendar year by 40 per cent, said Mr Register. In particular, violent crimes had decreased: "That means 35 less victims in our community".

The perception that more crime was being committed was a result of the news media's focus on crime, he said.

Statistics could also be skewed by one person charged with many crimes, Mr Register said.

However, not everything was rosy. Burglaries had jumped from 66 in the 2012/13 year to 99 in the 2013/14 year - "37 more burglaries is unacceptable," he said.

Some people committed crimes because of necessity - and recognising that was a major shift in New Zealand Police's thinking, he said. He believed the more agencies to help offenders, the better. Most offenders were not in education, employment or training.

If they were, then there would be less crime, he said.

"We need to solve the problem right at the start when the symptoms come in, that's how we stop crime."

One resident asked if it was true that criminals were bailed from the Hutt Valley to Featherston. Mr Register confirmed four people were on bail in town and there were 316 bail checks every week.

People were bailed to the Wairarapa partly because of the low-rent housing available.

Many at the meeting said one particular family was involved in a "crime spree".

CYF youth justice manager Gavin Smith said actions were being taken with the family at the centre of such claims but he was unable to discuss it for privacy reasons.

Most youth picked up by CYF had to be taken outside of the town for drug and alcohol treatment, he said.

CYF works with police when a young person commits a crime, with the first step often a family group conference.

Some residents said that did nothing to stop crime and wanted more police on the beat. Mr Register said police would be more visible by extending their hours of work.

Rowena Reay, a representative from the local rugby club, said the meeting had been productive: "All the cards are on the table now".

She believed sport could keep young people from offending if sports groups joined forces to provide activities.

Another Featherston resident, Geoff Clarke, said that might work for 90 per cent of young offenders but not for Featherston.

"We are here about the 10 per cent," he said.

"I honestly don't think it will help."

Trish Burgess, from the Featherston Community Patrol, put out a call for new members.

A Neighbourhood Support NZ group is also in the pipeline.