Robberies rock Wagga residents, police urge more vigilance

Wagga resident Alen Basic says he is living in fear and considering moving from the area after his house was broken into in a daylight robbery earlier this year.

“It was quite shocking to be honest, to see somebody has come into my house and taken my car keys but not my electronics or the car; I was quite scared,” he said.

“It has made me think of where I want to live. I’m also now in the process of installing CCTV which I really don’t want to do.”

Other residents with similar concerns have taken to social media, with some outlining incidents where their cars or motorbikes had been stolen and then found burnt out on the outskirts of Wagga, or their house had been broken into.

One Wagga Community Facebook page member had two motorcycles stolen from Glenfield, another posted a photograph of a person lurking around with what looked like a drill and a torch in the early hours of the morning.

Riverina Police District commander Superintendent Andrew Spliet said opportunistic crimes were taking place in Wagga, with many people leaving their houses and car doors unlocked.

He said a number of people were going before the courts and asked the community to contact police if they saw anything suspicious.

“We are asking the community, if you see anything suspicious, please contact us,” Superintendent Spliet said.

He said Wagga council’s recent decision to allow council-operated CCTV to be accessed by police would be an important tool in halting crime across Wagga.

“We have a very close relationship with the council,” Superintendent Spliet said. “It is very forthcoming. This will help us have good access to investigate crime that has taken place in Wagga.”

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research revealed that over two years (2019 to 2021) the incidence of robbery without a weapon in Wagga was well above the state average at 22.8 incidents per 100,000 population. The NSW average was 11.7 incidents per 100,000 population.

The Riverina Police District says Strike Force Olwen has been successful in the past fortnight in reducing property thefts in Wagga. It was established at the start of 2022 and has been influential in halting property theft and stopping young offenders.

It saw the police find two boys – aged between 14 and 16 – at a Wagga residence where the police conducted a search warrant and retrieved multiple alleged stolen motor vehicles.

The boys were charged with 18 offences between them.

Superintendent Spliet said over the past 12 months there has been a really good reduction of crime across the district and praised police officers’ hard work in halting criminal activity.

“We are continuing operations that are targeting areas and we are activating high visibility policing and covert surveillance and always running operations to put a lid on the offences that are occurring in the district,” Superintendent Spliet said.

“Our police do some great work in stopping criminal behaviour and it is really important for us to carry this on into the future,” he said.

Superintendent Spliet’s final message to Wagga residents was to lock the doors and be on the lookout for anyone or anything suspicious and call the relevant authorities through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. If an emergency situation occurs, call triple zero.