December 2024 NHW Newsletter

Coordinator’s Corner Philip W Brown

With the festive season about to take off, a lot of planning is happening across many fronts, with family and friends get togethers, parties and holidays in the making. Take a moment to check your home, business and vehicle security as it is the time for increased criminal activity. For thieves there are so many opportunities that get presented to them because residents are very busy with their plans and activities.

A few tips that can save you losing valuables. Prevention first. Saves tears and loses.

• Secure unattended or unoccupied areas when entertaining.

• Ensure your security equipment is working Locks, lighting, motion units
• Just lock the vehicle at all times where ever it is parked.
• Swimming pool safety gates operating correctly and propped open at any time.
• Going on holidays - Arrange with trusted neighbours to check on your home whilst away.
• Do not advertise that you have new “Presents” by piling the discarded boxes out the front of the home. Flatten and use recycling bins or Use Council clean-up service by pre-booking before Xmas.

Ryde Crime Report

POLICE CONDUCT TWO DAY BLITZ ACROSS THE RYDE POLICE AREA – OPERATION RIPCORD NOVEMBER 2024
In a concerted effort to prevent and disrupt crime, a targeted police operation codenamed RIPCORD 2024, was deployed across the entire Ryde Police Area on 07 and 08 November 2024. 

The operation involved additional police resources from across the North West Metropolitan Region who were tasked with a range of preventative policing actions including;

• enforcement of bail curfews and conditions of accused persons awaiting trial, 
• enforcement of apprehended domestic violence orders (ADVO), 
• licensed premises inspections, 
• arresting wanted persons, and
• providing high profile police presence at key transportation hubs and shopping precincts.

To complement these efforts, a high visibility drug enforcement operation using a drug detection dog was conducted at Epping Railway Station on 08 November.
The operation produced the following results:
• 61 bail enforcement checks
• 163 ADVO compliance checks
• 20 person searches
• 234 individual tasks
• 14 arrests resulting in 20 charges

Key arrests included:

•  A 29-year-old unemployed man from Ryde was charged with Wound Person with Intent to Cause Grievous Bodily Harm and Custody of Knife in Public Place – Subsequent Offence at Ermington on 16 October 2024.
• A 13-year-old youth from Ryde with Enter Enclosed Land Not Prescribed Premises Without Lawful Excuse at Ryde on 07 November 2024, and breaching bail conditions at Eastwood on 08 November 2024.
• A 15-year-old unemployed youth from Hamilton South with Custody of Knife in Public Place – First Offence, Goods in Personal Custody Suspected Being Stolen, Possess Graffiti Implement with Intent, and Possession of Equipment for Administering Prohibited Drugs at Epping on 08 November 2024

• A 68-year-old man from East Lindfield with Possess Prohibited Plant, and Custody of Knife in Public Place – First Offence at Epping on 08 November  2024.

• A 19year-old unemployed man from Pymble with Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm at North Ryde on 22 October 2024.

• You can assist by reporting criminal information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online athttps://lnkd.in/ggQvin8Q

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  SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE TARGETED BY SCAMMERS

  Being scammed can cause significant emotional distress and financial hardship. The National Anti-Scam Centre’s Scamwatch and other support agencies have heard thousands of stories of scams. When you report your scam, the people who read your report understand how you are feeling. You are not alone.

  If you need crisis services or emotional support contact BeyondBlue 1300 224 636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

  Scammers want you to hide or deny your experiences. Reaching out to support services not only helps you to understand what happened but informs authorities about scammer activities so that they can make it harder for scams to occur.

  If you have been a victim of cybercrime or identity fraud you can report to the police via Reportcyber at cyber.gov.au/report-and-recover/report.

  IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. They can help you make a plan (for free) to limit the damage. When you report to Scamwatch, you have the option to be referred to IDCARE, so you don’t have to reach out to them separately.

• Visit idcare.org to find out more. OR

• Scamwatch.gov.au

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NHW Community BBQ’s – Support our Team

Neighbourhood Watch Ryde conducted two fundraisers at Bunnings Gladesville and Bunnings Rydalmere during “Crime Week” 10 Nov to 16 Nov. At Gladesville NHW Ryde introduced our new literature display case next to the Security area with our newsletters and safety literature available to customers.

NHW Ryde will be at Bunnings Gladesville to support the Bunnings Christmas Family Nite from 5pm to 7:30pm conducting the BBQ. Come and get a sausage sizzler sandwich, and check out the community stalls with Christmas gifts for sale on Thursday 5^th December.

NHW Ryde will also be supporting the West Ryde Christmas Carols sing-a-long in Anzac Park West Ryde on Saturday 7^th December by serving up our super BBQ sausage sandwich and drinks.

NSW Custody Statistics report to September 2024.

• NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR). 

• NSW Adult prison

In September 2024, there were 12,897 adults in custody. This is unchanged from the previous quarter (12,917 in June 2024) but a 5% increase over the previous year (up 625 from 12,272 in September).

While the number of adults on remand remained stable over the past three months (5,763 adults in June 2024 and 5,643 in September 2024), over the last 12 months remand has increased by 660 or 13.2% since September 2023.

Additional Domestic Violence (DV) remandees accounted for 55% of the total remand increase over the past year. At September 2024, 31% of the remand population were remanded for a DV offence, up from 28% in September 2023.

The main DV offences contributing to the increase in the remand population are: DV assault (up 218 or up 28.7% to 978), DV intimidation/stalking (up 64 or up 36.2% to 241), breach ADVO (up 35 or up 76.1% to 81) and DV sexual offences (up 31 or 10% to 349).

The Aboriginal prison population is also now at a record high, with 4,103 Aboriginal adults in prison in September 2024. Aboriginal people now comprise a record 32% of the prison population in NSW. The increase is primarily due to more Aboriginal people being remanded. Aboriginal remandees increased by 236 or 14.5% since September 2023. Almost half of Aboriginal adults in custody are on remand (45.4%).

• Youth detention

In September 2024 there were 209 young people in detention. This is down 15% or 37 young people from June 2024 (which was the highest point since the pandemic).

The recent decline in young people in custody has been driven by a reduction in the number of young people on remand. In September 2024 there were 145 young people on remand, down 22.9% or 43 since June 2024.

The main offences for which young people are in custody in September 2024 are car theft (14.3% or 31 young people), robbery (13.9% or 29 young people) and break and enter (13.4% or 28 young people). At the end of September 2024, there were 125 Aboriginal young people in detention, which is 60% of the youth detention population. Three-quarters (73.6%) of Aboriginal young people in custody were from Regional NSW.

** WARNING **

Whose responsibility is it?

- Although commonsense may be in short supply now days, it  is still the Primary Step in reducing crime on our patch

IF YOU DON’T PREVENT IT, OR SECURE IT, OR HIDE IT, your on-site incident could end up being reported on our NEW LOOK local Police Crime Incident page 3 newsletter report starting in Feb 2025.

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• Upcoming Events - December 2024

• Saturday 7 December 2024 (5pm – 8pm) Anzac Park West Ryde

• Christmas Carols in the Park & Fantastic NHW Ryde BBQ

  Come along and bring the family for a great sing-a long of your favourite carols and grab a sausage sizzle sandwich and drink to support NHW Ryde in “Creating Safer Communities”

• January 2025

  Free! SCHOOL HOLIDAY FUN

  The Theatre Organ Society of NSW presents “Meet the Organ”

  A fun musical event for kids of all ages. Come and hear a magnificent pipe organ playing your favourite tunes and have the unique opportunity to play the organ yourself! 

• WHEN:       11am, Tuesday 14 January 2025

• WHERE:      West Ryde Anglican Church    

• 14 Bellevue Ave, West Ryde

  The show goes on rain, hail or shine! 

(Supported by NHW Ryde as a community initiative)

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NHW RYDE MEETINGS

Neighbourhood Watch Ryde monthly meetings are at the North Ryde Sports Club (Eastwood Rugby Club) at 146 Vimiera Rd Marsfield at 7pm, 1^st Wednesday of each month, except January.

• Pre-meeting networking and Dinner in Greene’s Restaurant from 6pm. 
• All residents and community members welcome to raise any local safety or crime concerns. 
• Next meeting Wed 5 FEBRUARY 2025, 7pm

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TIME FOR A SUMMER OUTING

Exercise - YES,  Help Community - YES, 

Help reduce crime in our area – YES, 

Help NHW - no, maybe, YES, of course I can.

NHW Ryde is still looking for a few more residents, needed in all areas, to hand deliver our newsletter locally. Just up to 1 hour only six times/year. North Ryde, North Epping, West Denistone, Ryde, Meadowbank, Shepherds Bay and Gladesville.

Please advise your contacts by email to: 

neighbourhoodwatchryde@outlook.com

or reply on our Website at: NHWRyde.com.au

Neighbourhood Watch Ryde - Creating Safer Communities

OCTOBER 2024 NHW NEWSLETTER

Coordinator’s Corner Philip W Brown

They are still out there. Against the ten-year downward trend of “less” break and enter incidents, there have been recent reports of an “increase” in “break and enter” incidents in our suburbs. It is a reminder to us all to secure our property and review our home security. Installing alarms, security lighting and cameras will deter and detect thieves. During September there were thieves conducting break and enter activity in our local areas, with homes and vehicles targeted. Vehicles have also been stolen from the driveway of homes.

In addition, neighbours keeping an eye out for suspicious behaviour in and around their own home and their neighbours’ property will reduce the risk of having unwelcome intruders on your property.

WARNING - TAKE PREVENTATIVE ACTION - NOW

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Ryde Crime Report–Credit Card Scam

Elderly community members are being targeted by offenders posing as an employee from technology companies. These offenders are calling and convincing victims that their credit cards have been compromised, and that they should leave them in their letterbox for collection.

The credit cards are then taken and used to withdraw large amounts of cash. For those followers whose elderly friends and relatives may not be connected to social media, please have a chat to them about this scam.

Anyone with information about these incidents is urged to call Crime Stoppers NSW on 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police Force social media pages.

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Michael Rhodes, Denistone. VALE

It is with great sadness that I am informing our community that Michael Rhodes of Denistone, our Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Region 6 Putney Coordinator was severely injured in a traffic accident in August in Perth West Australia and subsequently died in Royal Perth Hospital on Sunday 25th August 2024. Michael had recently returned to Perth with his sister to assist her after her home had been burgled while she had been in Sydney visiting with Michael.

As a tribute from the community and as a friend and colleague of NHW Ryde, at 1130am Friday 6th September, a brief yet very important memorial gathering with floral tribute at the Anzac Memorial at Anzac Park West Ryde his NHW colleagues and friends bade farewell to Michael in honour of his service to his local community and adopted country, Australia. Michael’s wife Margaret was supported by many of her work colleagues from Sydney Water, West Ryde.

Michael was born in England in 1945, came to Perth Australia as a boy, later joined the Australian Army as a professional soldier and served in Vietnam with the 5th Battalion RAR as a Private and retired as a Warrant Officer II.

Bernie Cox from the 7th Battalion RAR spoke on Michael’s life in the Australian Army and presented Michael’s wife Margaret Rhodes with his 5th Battalion RAR certificates of service. Michael was farewelled by bugler Philip Ward playing the Last Post.

Michael will truly be missed as a friend, and as a passionate and hard-working Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator who helped collate, deliver, expand and consolidate the delivery of the NHW bimonthly newsletter across West Ryde, Putney, Tennyson Point and Gladesville.

Philip Brown NHW Ryde President

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Ryde Police Crime Report - Snippets (RPAC)

* At 7.30am on 7 July 2024, two males assaulted a person, unknown to them, and subsequently stole his vehicle. The vehicle was later located. The Victim was treated at hospital for non-life threatening injuries. On 24 September 2024, Detectives attached to Ryde Police Area Command charged a 36-year-old male with the following offences.

• Aggravated robbery and inflict ABH”,

• Take & drive conveyance w/o consent of owner,

• Break and enter dwelling-house etc with intent

(steal) and stalk/intimidate, intend fear, physical harm (personal). An extensive investigation was conducted, and two males have now been apprehended and charged.

• The co-accused in the matter was charged in August with the matter. Both males are currently before the court.

* Putney. About 10.20am on Tuesday 17 September 2024, emergency services were called to Ida Street, Putney, following reports of a house fire. Neighbouring homes were evacuated as a precaution and the street was closed, while NSW Fire and Rescue worked to extinguish the fire.

There were no reports of injuries, and the home was not occupied at the time. Officers attached to Ryde Police Area Command have commenced an investigation into the cause of the fire.

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NHW MEETINGS: Neighbourhood Watch Ryde monthly meetings have relocated to the North Ryde Sports Club (Eastwood Rugby Club) at 146 Vimiera Rd Marsfield at 7pm, 1st Wednesday of each month. Pre-meeting networking and Dinner at Greene’s Restaurant from 6pm.

All residents and community members welcome to raise any local safety or crime concerns.

Next meeting 6 NOVEMBER 2024, 7pm

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NHW Ryde is Still looking for a few residents, to help deliver to Cheers St, Sindel St, Clifton St, & Darvall Rd West Ryde. 2. First Ave & Rowe St Eastwood. 3. Fairyland Cres Chatswood West. Just up to 1 hour only six times/year to hand deliver our newsletter locally. Please advise your contacts by email to: neighbourhoodwatchryde@outlook.com

or reply on our Website at: NHWRyde.com.au

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Neighbourhood Watch Ryde District conducted a Recruitment drive and a Home Safety Information Stall at the Granny Smith Festival at Eastwood on Saturday 19 October 2024. with FREE safety information and brochures for our community.

It is encouraging that 7 residents volunteered to join up to our local Neighbourhood Watch group to help deliver the bi-monthly newsletter across zones of Ryde District. We still need a few more (see previous areas) to replace some of our retirees.

“Creating Safer Communities”

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Next NHW Ryde newsletter scheduled for first week in December.

April Newsletter 2024

Introduction & Overview

The printed April newsletter is presently at the printers  and will be distributed from 26th April with information on local happenings, and warnings on current scams.  Included is a guide on what to do and how to help family, friends or neighbours if and when a domestic violence incident occurs. 

On Saturday 23 March NHW Ryde conducted a Community BBQ in conjunction with the Easter Celebrations at Anzac Park West Ryde. It was great sunny day with plenty of activities for the kids and a hotly contested singing competition for kids and adults.  

Sausage Sizzle $4:00 and soft drinks $3:00. All proceeds assists NHW Ryde help create safer communities across the Ryde District by renewing our Safety literature and materials and subsidising our public liability insurance for our volunteers.

NHW Ryde is in need of replacement newsletter distributors in Denistone West, West Ryde, North Ryde, Gladesville, Marsfield, Macquarie Park, and Top Ryde. Can you help? Contact: nhwryde.com.au with contact details.(see below)

Coordinator’s Corner - Philip W Brown

Easter holiday period has come and gone and we are already into Autumn and heading towards our Winter months.

May to August are our darker months with shortened days and less visible daylight. With longer and colder nights, it is an opportunity for strangers and thieves to move around with less chance of detection as residents are tucked up in the warmth and behind closed curtains and blinds.

So what precautions have you taken to ensure your family, home and vehicle are secure? Thieving, break and enter of homes and stealing of vehicles is still happening in our areas. 

Consider the installation of motion lighting, alarms and safety cameras as a deterrent to thieves and opportunity theft. 

Upgrading door and window security locks is essential as well as keeping bushes well- trimmed, so as to not create hiding places for intruders. Tradies should ensure that their tools are well and truly secured and all equipment locked out of sight where possible and an alarm system installed. 

It is very costly to lose tools as well as inconvenient as insurance is getting more expensive each year and no claim bonuses lost. Some tools are irreplaceable and expensive to replace.

Around the home all tools should be locked away and any serial numbers of tools, garden equipment and bikes should be recorded to help in recovery, if stolen. Lock the shed and do not leave bikes in driveways or in easily accessible places. 

Disconnect portable battery chargers after charging to prevent them overheating or causing a fire.

AND REMEMBER - LOCK UP

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 ‘Be There’ A Useful  App from the eSafety Commissioner

 ‘Be There’ App is an app that helps people support someone experiencing domestic violence or an unhealthy, toxic or abusive relationship. 

It offers articles and activities to help you understand and recognise aspects of domestic violence and coercive control, as well as tips to safely support someone who is experiencing an abusive relationship. 

The app includes recommended content and built-in reminders for activities as well as tips to help you offer support and safely take action.

‘Be there’ also includes a journaling feature that let you save notes about what you may see, hear and feel. Access to the app is protected by a passcode. ‘Be There’ has been developed by Griffith University. 

• Website: bethereapp.com.au 
  Apps: Android app and Apple iOS app

Benefits of the ‘Be there’ app

Do you want to know what to say or how to ‘be there’ for a loved one, a friend or even a stranger who is in an unhealthy, toxic or abusive relationship?

‘Be there ‘is a free app that gives you direct access to tools that empower, educate and support you to help someone who is experiencing domestic or family violence.

Always have the tools on hand to help you recognise abuse and offer support to someone who may be experiencing or using the abuse. The app will help you do this safely and respectfully.

FLUBOT SCAM - What a flubot is:

Flubot is malicious (malware) that sends text messages to both Androids and iPhones. There are a large number of different types of Flubot text messages and scammers are updating them all the time. 

It is strongly recommended that you never click on the links in these messages. It is best to delete them immediately. Android phones are more at risk.

The content of the text messages varies but they all contain a link containing 5-9 random numbers. They will often ask you to download an app to track or organise a time for a delivery, hear a voicemail message, or view photos that have been uploaded.

However, there is no delivery, voicemail, or photos uploaded and the app is actually malware called Flubot. If you have an Android device, typically the application downloaded is called Voicemail71.apk, Update42.apk’ or DHL34.apk. This application is malware.

The application may be able to:

• read your text messages
• send text messages from your phone
• make phone calls from your number
• access your contacts

Installing the software is likely to give scammers access to your passwords and accounts to steal your money or personal information.

It will also ask other infected Australian phones to send Flubot messages to the numbers it steals from your phone, continuing and expanding the scam. So, if you called the person that sent you the message, it would be another victim of the scam whose device was infected.

It is noted that 'Apple' devices may not be infected with Flubot but will likely be infected with other malware if you click on these links.

April Crime Report & Police News.

** Easter Traffic Report

Eight people lost their lives on our roads during the Easter long weekend following a number of crashes on the state’s roads, as a minority of road users continue to put themselves and others at risk through irresponsible and selfish driving behaviours.
Operation Easter 2024 commenced at 12.01am on Thursday 28 March 2024 and concluded at 11.59pm Monday 1 April 2024, with double demerit points in place throughout. The operation targeted the major factors contributing to road trauma – excessive speed, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fatigue, non-wearing of seatbelts and helmets, and mobile phone use.

NORTH WEST METRO [includes Ryde PAC]

• Speed infringements: 719; • Breath tests: 39,476, • Drug-driving tests: 3,255, 

• PCA charges: 52, • Major crashes: 50• Fatalities: 0

** Denistone March 2024 Break & Enter

A break and enter incident in Anthony Rd Denistone happened by persons unknown where the intruder entered at the rear of the  property when the owners were not at home. Jewellery was stolen. Police attended and an investigation is ongoing.

Ryde Region PAC Incidents 2022-2023

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QUESTION: Who has right of way at an intersection?

December Newsletter 2024