MORE eyes than ever will soon be watching over Tamworth with plans to roll out further CCTV.
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Chair of the Tamworth crime prevention working group, Russell Webb, said the group will seek more funding for CCTV surveillance with a focus on mobile units.
Cr Webb has advocated for closed-circuit surveillance in the community and said you don’t have to look far to see its success busting crooks in public areas and private businesses, highlighting how quickly charges were laid following incidents at the Kable Ave playground and West Tamworth McDonalds.
“It has not only done well for police finding culprits, but it has also been a deterrent,” Cr Webb told The Leader.
“We’ll try and get whatever we can to increase that.”
With hotspots in the CBD and Bridge St already monitored, Cr Webb wanted portable units as the next tool in the kit for local crime prevention, particularly in rural communities.
Councils can apply for up $1 million in federal government funding for security initiatives through the “safer communities fund”.
Projects eligible for funding could include CCTV, additional lighting and even bollards, which is something council has been investigating, particularly during the country music festival, Cr Webb said.
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“Last year we had some bollards and trucks parked in certain locations,” he said.
“We’re aware of it and local government is well and truly involved in preventing targets.”
Cr Webb said increasing surveillance around town was nothing to fear for law-abiding citizens.
“We’re not trying to create a ‘big brother’ society, but the activities of a very small minority pf the popualtion means we have to do something,” he said.
According to figures presented at last month’s crime prevention meeting, a number of offences have been on the rise in the region.
In July and August this year, non-dwelling break and enters were up 66 per cent from last year. Thefts from cars were up 24.6 per cent, while shoplifting instances climbed 48.1 per cent.
Alcohol related non-domestic assaults rose 38.5 per cent.
New England MP Barnaby Joyce encouraged local groups to apply for federal funding.
“Things such as CCTV cameras have proven a vital security asset for locations around the New England including at Tamworth where the Oxley Local Area Command has used them to follow up a range of crimes in the area,” Mr Joyce said.