Brimbank police have urged Derrimut residents not to become “vigilantes” after a “frightening” early-morning home invasion on June 30.
Derrimut and Deer Park Neighbourhood House (DDNH) organiser Rosa Mikac called a snap safety forum on June 7 following reports on the group’s Facebook page of residents conducting street patrols.
Police from Caroline Springs, Sunshine and Keilor called for calm at the meeting.
Mrs Mikac said police confirmed intruders had smashed their way through a sliding door of a property in Brimbank Gardens estate, stealing car keys, a wallet and the young family’s car.
When details of the incident were posted on the DDNH’s Facebook page, several responses indicated residents were prepared to take the law into their own hands.
“The response was fear and anger on our Facebook page,” Mrs Mikac said. “It’s frightened the whole community.
“Residents have been doing their own patrols, getting up earlier of a morning and doing drive-arounds.
“We don’t want them taking matters into their own hands. We had to nip it in the bud, so we organised this forum.”
Brimbank proactive policing unit’s Leading Senior Constable Matthew Mudie said residents should “leave the patrols to us”.
“They [residents] put themselves at risk,” he said. “Be vigilant, not vigilantes.”
Brimbank crime investigation unit detective Senior Sergeant Matthew Baynes said police were working around the clock to tackle a spike in aggravated burglaries.
A Taylors Hill teenager was charged in relation to two aggravated burglaries and theft of three cars in Brimbank at the weekend.
The 17-year-old was arrested inAirport West about 4am Sunday.
He has been charged over an incident at a Caroline Springs property about 5.25am on Saturday and an aggravated burglary at a house in Taylors Lakes about 3.55am on Sunday.
– with Alexandra Laskie
