Member for Currumbin Jann Stuckey MP today tabled a petition highlighting residents concerns about anti-social youth behaviour at the Pines Shopping Centre that urged the Government to provide a police beat in the centre.
“This petition containing 1214 signatures reflects the community’s desire to adopt a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour within their family-oriented shopping precinct by implementing a police presence during trading hours,” said Ms Stuckey
“In recent months a small number of youths were causing trouble in shops and precincts within the centre and behaving in an unacceptable manner towards other customers and shop property.
“Shop-keepers were almost unanimous in their call for a police beat and centre management were also supportive of this initiative.
“Incidents of crime involving a group of youths were rising steadily in the shopping centre. I have been working closely with centre management, shop keepers and our police to push for a positive solution to these continuing problems.
“Numerous retailers have expressed concerns they fear on-going incidents of crime at the shopping centre would have a negative effect on their businesses and on the centre’s trade in general.
“Some have even said they have staff who have had enough of belligerent youth and asked to be transferred elsewhere.
“I am calling for a police beat to be installed in the centre’s main arcade. As we already have a police beat in suburban Elanora there is no valid reason why it can’t be operated out of the shopping centre with some assistance from VIPs (Volunteers in Policing).
“Statistics have shown that a public police presence is a deterrent to crime and sends a strong message to reckless youth that unruly behaviour in our community will not be tolerated.
“People have a right to feel safe when they are at work or doing their shopping and a police beat will go a long way to curbing incidents of violence and crime.
“Our local shopping centre provides a vital service in a friendly, social atmosphere and many in our midst wish to keep it that way.
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Contact Jann Stuckey 0439 755 919