Vol. 16 No. 37
FREE PUBLICATION
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
BACK TO THE FUTURE: Youngsters, from left, Hugh Bond, Ella Janetzki, Ruby Janetzki, Jack Bond, Samuel Janetzki, Benjamin Janetzki and Lily Bond cram in the back of a Horsham Old Skool Hotrod car in preparation for a Drive In Movie Night at Horsham Showground at 6:30pm on Saturday. The movie night, which costs patrons $30 a car or $5 a person is raising money for cancer fundraiser Relay For Life. Picture: MICK SHANNON
Police on front foot
P
By DEAN LAWSON
olice have stressed a need for Wimmera people be vigilant in reporting illegal or suspicious activities across the region as a national crackdown on outlaw bikie gangs continues to attract headlines.
Horsham Acting Inspector Brendan Broadbent said Wimmera centres were lucky to have so far avoided becoming bases for highly organised criminal ‘chapters’. But he warned that gang networks were extensive and the region was far from immune. He said bikie gangs could quickly become established in a community through affiliations
IN THIS ISSUE
and connections, and it was in everyone’s best interests to help police by monitoring and reporting any outlaw motorcycle gang activity. “These groups are definitely organised with set structures within their organisations. They have an extensive network of associates and if they consider it to be a benefit to establish a chapter in an area they will look to do that,” he said. “That’s the sort of gang-activity information people should feed back to police. If anyone notices anything unusual such as strangers gathering in groups and wearing ‘colours’ or ‘patches’, we want to know about it. “We regularly have motorcycle gang members travelling through the area and they are pretty
easy to identify. “We’re keen to know about any increased activity from these people that might involve, for example, licensed premises or who might be asking questions about properties.” Acting Inspector Broadbent said police were not about instilling fear into people every time they heard a loud motorcycle. “This issue is far removed from your average motorcycling enthusiast who simply enjoys riding a classic machine. The people we’re talking about are organised criminals who can be responsible for anything from intimidation to major illegal and violent activity,” he said. “Apart from putting the community at risk
it can also be a serious drain on enforcement resources. “We are there to mitigate any risk to community safety and to co-ordinate any response that might be needed.
“And the more we know from the community, the more we can respond. The general message to people is don’t get involved but take note and pass the information onto police.” Acting Inspector Broadbent said people with information could call 24-hour stations Horsham on 5382 9200, Stawell 5358 8222 and Ararat 5355 1500 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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