JUNE 21, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
(Damjan Janevski)
West sets its own trends Williams Landing, Truganina, Point Cook and Tarneit have the highest number of fashion conscious residents in Wyndham, according to a new study. Data analysis agency Defin’d ranked Victoria’s most fashion conscious areas, using information from the Nielsen Consumer Media View survey and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Each area was given a score out of 100, based on the number of residents who kept up with the latest seasonal fashions or who are early adopters of trends or “classic” fashionistas. The closer to 100 an area scored, the more “fashion forward” it was ranked. Carlton placed first in the state with a score of 99. Williams Landing recorded Wyndham’s highest score of 74, followed by Truganina on 72, Point Cook (70), Tarneit (67) and Wyndham Vale (61). Hoppers Crossing scored 56 and Werribee 53. Werribee South, Little River and Mount Cottrell all recorded scores in the mid-40s, while Laverton North received a score of 31. Elsewhere across the west, Footscray scored 77, Sunshine 67, Williamstown 57, Altona 56 and Melton 48. Jess Ricci, a 22-year-old from Tarneit who runs a popular beauty and fashion YouTube channel, said the western suburbs had their own sense of style. Ms Ricci, whose channel has recorded more than five million views, said the west had an eclectic fashion vibe thanks to its large numbers of young residents and cultural diversity. “There is a bit less pressure to wear what everyone else is wearing, and I think there are a lot more independent individuals,” she said. Ms Ricci also said the ability to purchase clothing online, along with places such as Highpoint and Pacific Werribee, meant there were plenty of shopping options. Alesha Capone
JESS RICCI
Home invasions surge By Charlene Macaulay Aggravated burglaries across Wyndham have hit a five-year high. Crime Statistics Victoria data released last week revealed a 62.4 per cent surge in aggravated burglaries across the municipality in the 12 months to March 31, and a 17.8 per cent jump in robberies – two categories that have caused increased concern in the community. A total 164 aggravated burglaries were recorded in Wyndham. That’s up from 101 the previous year. Non-aggravated burglaries were down 8.4 per cent from 1817 to 1664.
Neighbourhood Watch Tarneit hosted a community safety forum last month in response to a spate of violent crimes across Wyndham including a shooting and stabbing in Knightsbridge Drive, Tarneit, on May 28, and a jogger attacked by a group of up to 10 youths in a Truganina park on May 19. Despite this, overall crime across Wyndham is down 3.3 per cent. According to the Crime Statistics Agency, there were decreases in the number of homicides, abductions, arson offences, property offences and public nuisance offences. On the flip side, sexual offences, assaults, drug
use and disorderly and offensive conduct were on the rise. Police are cracking down on aggravated burglaries, carjackings, robberies and stolen vehicles in two targeted operations across Wyndham and surrounding areas, in operations Regnant and Wayward. Wyndham Police Acting Inspector Peter Bitton said while the overall reduction was encouraging, there was more work to be done. He said family violence was behind many crimes in the region, including sexual offences and assaults. Meanwhile, Miriam Spiess of Neighbourhood
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Watch Point Cook Central called on Wyndham council to start a trial across three Point Cook parks – Florey Park in the Innisfail estate, Hargrave Park in the Kingsford estate and the park by Featherbrook Drive in the Saratoga estate – which would involve installing sprinkler systems and improved lighting to deter crime and enhance perceptions of safety. “Many in our community do not feel safe in their homes due to large groups of youths congregating in parks,” Ms Spiess said. “Currently, we know of many crimes that are going unreported to police due to the level of under-resourcing of the police force.”