IN THE wake of a property crime wave, Oxley senior police have warned against using anything more than “reasonable force”, should you come face-to-face with an offender in your home.
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Oxley crime prevention officer Senior Constable Tracey Freeman said she had been forced to monitor online Neighbourhood Watch forums in recent months as Tamworth residents threatened to fight back against break-and-enter offenders.
Residents have reportedly been going to sleep with baseball bats beside their beds, patrolling their homes in the early hours of the morning and turning their homes into fortresses to prevent falling victim to thieves.
Senior Constable Freeman said police were aware of the high level of frustration in the community in regard to the incidents, but warned residents against over-zealous responses that may incite violence.
“Any force used by a resident towards someone breaking into their home has to be proportionate to the threat,” she said.
“Property crime such as break-and-enters differs from personal crime.
“A break-and-enter is different from a home invasion, where offenders enter your home with the intent to use violence against you to get what they want. If someone is armed with a weapon, then force used can be far more excessive than if someone has verbally threatened you.”
Senior Constable Freeman said one of the worst things a resident could do was put themselves in the path of the offender’s exit route.
“An offender just wants to get in and out as quickly as possible,” she said.
“You can put yourself at risk by confronting someone. It has to be to protect or to defend yourself or your family.”
Senior Constable Freeman said there had been cases reported of residents making citizen’s arrests, but they were rare.
She said any force used had to be to create an escape opportunity for the victim, or to create space between the victim and the offender.
“Police don’t encourage people to confront offenders, but there are circumstances where it may be necessary.”
Senior Constable Freeman said the best advice she could give to someone who woke to find an offender in their home was to not aggravate the situation.
“Your personal items, like cars and handbags, can be replaced, but human life is invaluable,” she said.
She said, in some cases reported over the past few nights, residents had yelled at the offenders to scare them away, but this could often backfire.
“Yelling can startle them, but any offender who comes into the home and is startled can then panic and then they might use violence just to escape,” she said.
“Try not to do anything that encourages an offender to be violent or to feel trapped.”
Senior Constable Freeman said residents could protect their home and family but they must do it within the bounds of the law.
“You can’t just beat up an offender in your house, because you might find yourself charged with assault,” she said.
“If you step over the line and use something considered more than reasonable force, you might find yourself going through the court system instead of your offenders, who may be let off with lesser punishment.
“Tick all the boxes and let the criminal justice system do its work.”
She said police were endorsing effective security precautions but were not suggesting people lock themselves away to effectively become prisoners in their homes.
“It is not about turning your home into a fortress, it is about making your home less attractive to potential criminals,” she said.
She said people who left wallets, handbags and car keys out in plain sight on kitchen benches or dining tables were “gift-wrapping” them for thieves.
“Put them in a safe place only you know about,” she said.
Senior Constable Freeman said Tamworth police were doing all they could to put “a small group of persons” behind bars so the city’s crime levels could return to normal.
Witnesses of local incident sought
POLICE are seeking witnesses to a break-and-enter in Coledale yesterday morning which saw three rifles stolen.
Neighbours noticed lights on in the Dewhurst St home about 4am yesterday and called police, who arrived to find the house ransacked.
A Lithgow .22, Winchester .22 and .270 rifle were stolen from a locked gun cabinet, as was a quantity of ammunition.
Oxley Acting Sergeant Aaron Turner said the theft of the rifles was of great concern to police and they were seeking witnesses in relation to the incident. The resident was away for several days, leaving his home in the care of neighbours.
Police said they were awaiting the return of the resident to find out whether anything else had been stolen.
Police said it was a good example of how neighbouring residents could look out for each other and help report crime happening in their neighbourhood.
A home in Glengarvin Dr, Oxley Vale, was targeted by thieves on Monday between 5.30pm and 8.30pm.
Police said a forced back door was the point of entry for offenders, who made off with an XBox, laptop and camera equipment.
Anyone with any information about the incidents is urged to call the Tamworth Police Station or Crime Stoppers.