Feliota F. Fahey has lived in Katherine, Oregon, for over 35 years. She says that this is the year she felt least secure in her clothing and retail store.
In 2023, she estimates that young children will have damaged and stolen products in her shop six times.
Following the break-ins Ms Fahey sat at the entrance of the store and left the lock on the door before welcoming customers.
It’s making me nervous. She said, “I’ve taken anxiety pills.”
Ms Fahey claimed that a group children recently smashed several things in her shop, including a vase which she claims narrowly avoided her head.
The new crime statistics released reflect Ms Fahey’s concerns, showing an increase in key crime stats in Katherine. In the 12 months prior to September 2022, commercial break-ins have increased from 281 to 325 incidents.
The number of house break-ins has almost doubled over the last year. From 153 in 2022, to 302 in 2018.
The number of assaults in this town has also increased from 737 in 2022, to 1052 according to the latest statistics.
A businessman, who didn’t want his name to be used out of concern that their store would be targeted by criminals, slept in the shop overnight to deter any break-ins and robberies.
Danny Bacon, Senior Sergeant at NT Police, said that there will be sufficient police officers to provide support for communities such as Katherine in the summer.
He said: “I feel very confident that there are plans for those regional centers.”
The police haven’t confirmed the number of officers in Katherine or whether they were increased due to an increase in crime.
The Sergeant Bacon explained that “we need to place our resources in the right places at any given moment, and this will change quite frequently.”
As a way to fight crime, Sergeant Bacon cited Strike Force Cerberus in Katherine as one of the police’s strategies. He also mentioned plans to provide summer activities for kids to reduce crime.
He said that he believes it is important to keep kids busy during the holidays.
Julie Newton who runs a saddlery in Katherine’s main street said that the company has implemented a number of effective tactics to deter break-ins, including installing smash protection on the storefront.
Other novel methods have been used.
She said, “I am quite short so I would suggest that you arrange all of your displays so they are a little shorter so you can easily see the people in your shop.”
In the past two years we have really stepped up that.
She wants the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade of the NT Government to guide business in how to design shops better to prevent crime.
She said, “Businesses don’t need to be closed or available after-hours.”
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