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The Thin
Blue Line ~ News Watch
News Relating To Police In NSW
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Sexual predator may have goatee
June 7, 2003
POLICE believe a sexual predator who has attacked several
young girls in Sydney's west may live with his parents or an
older relative and has recently grown a goatee beard.
St Mary's Superintendent Allan Harding today made a special plea
to anyone who suspects their son, nephew or younger housemate of
the attacks to come forward. Supt Harding said a 14-year-old girl
last week became his tenth victim when she was attacked as she
walked through a laneway near Snowdrift Close at St Clair on
June 1, between 11.45am and noon.
Nine other girls aged between 11 and 14 had been dragged into
bushland at knifepoint in parks and reserves at St Clair and
Erskine Park in the past year, he said.
"It is highly likely that someone has good reason to
suspect that the person they reside with is the person we are
looking for," Superintendent Harding said.
"If you know a person who matches the physical description
and has also recently over the last few months grown a goatee
beard, that's the person we need to talk to.
"This person has to stop hoping that the offences are
going to stop because they won't.
"They have to realise that their silence is part of the
reason these offences are continuing," he said.
The attacker is described as being white/European in appearance,
180cm tall, 18 to 19 years old with a lightly tanned complexion,
hairy arms, brown eyes and a goatee beard.
Officers attached to Strike Force Agriculture have examined
more than 130 suspects with many leads generated from public
information.
A permanent strike force had been in action for months and
involved police, child protection workers and profilers.
Anyone with information should contact St Mary's police on 9677
5099 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Content © The Daily Telegraph |
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Two
men rob bank with knife
June 7, 2003
TWO men have staged a daring armed robbery on the NSW north
coast, threatening a bank's staff and customers while they
raided cash supplies.
NSW Police said the two men entered a bank in First Avenue,
Sawtell, south of Coffs Harbour, at about 3pm (AEST) yesterday
armed with a knife.
Two staff members and a number of customers were forced to lie
on the floor as one of the men jumped the counter and removed
an amount of cash from the teller drawers.
Both fled the bank and were last seen running south on First
Avenue and then into Boronia Street.
Anyone with information should contact Coffs Harbour
Detectives on (02) 6652 0299 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333
000.
Content © The Daily Telegraph
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Three charged with drug offences
June 7, 2003
THREE people have been charged with drugs offences
after raids in inner-Sydney suburbs overnight.
Police raided units in Bourke St, Darlinghurst, and Belvoir
Street, Surry Hills, where they seized a quantity of tablets,
prescription medication scales and cash just after 9pm (AEST).
A 36-year-old man from Stanmore was charged with possession and
supply of drugs and was due to appear in Parramatta Court this
morning.
A 25-year-old Rockdale woman was charged with possession and being
knowingly concerned in the supply of a prohibited drug. She was
also due to appear in Parramatta Court this morning.
A 24-year-old man from Darlinghurst was charged with conspiring to
supply a prohibited drug. He was granted bail and is to appear at
the Downing Centre Local Court later this month.
Content © The Daily Telegraph
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Netting criminals
via e-mail
June 6, 2003
CRIMES were once reported at a police
station, then there was the PAL call centre – now it could all be
done by e-mail.
A State Government audit of the Police
Assistance Line has recommended new ways be found for the public to
report crimes, including over the internet, in a bid to increase
efficiency.
The Audit Office yesterday rejected a NSW Police plan to contract
the PAL call centre out to business and other government departments
in a bid to make it more profitable.
The 24-hour call centre costs $13 million a year to run and was
supposed to be self-sufficient by selling reports to insurance
companies and the debt recovery office. But it operates about
$500,000 over budget.
Auditor-General Bob Sendt warned that looking for extra business
would be "inconsistent with the role of NSW Police".
The audit found PAL – a civilian-staffed service set up in 1999
to take reports of minor crimes – had helped improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of NSW Police.
The average time to answer a call fell from two minutes to 42
seconds but half of the 500,000 calls every year were answered
outside the goal of 27 seconds.
And 6 per cent of callers, about 37,000 a year, abandoned the
hold music and hung up compared to the call centre industry standard
of 4 per cent.
Auditor Jane Tebbatt said PAL had freed up more than 200 police
for operational duties and had cut the cost of handling a minor
crime inquiry by 65 per cent. But only 46 per cent of minor crimes
that PAL was supposed to handle were reported through the call
centre.
"There is potential for police to get further benefits from PAL
by increasing public awareness of the line," she said.
Police Minister John Watkins said other recommendations in the
report would be implemented, including reviewing customer service
targets and more staff at the Lithgow and Tuggerah call centres.
Police Association president Ian Ball said PAL had been effective
in freeing up police but "we need to get it completely right . . .
before we start some grandiose idea of getting business from other
organisations".
Content © Stavro Sofios The Daily Telegraph |
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Colourful cops to stand out in snow
June 4, 2003
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You
won't miss these!
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HIGHWAY patrol cars in the Snowy Mountains
will soon look like garishly coloured street racing vehicles in a bid
to stop them from "disappearing" off the road.
Instead of
using white cars which are almost invisible in the winter alpine
environment, police have decided to use cars with the brightest
paint jobs on the market.
The Monaro local area command has taken delivery of a 2003 Holden
Commodore SS V8 in a colour known as "red hot" and another Holden
Commodore SS V8 in a shade known as "hot house green".
As well, a Ford XR8 V8 has joined its fleet in "acid rush
yellow".
The cars are designed to provide extra safety for police so
motorists are more easily able to see them.
The regular white police car has been known to "disappear" in the
snow, Police Minister John Watkins said.
Mr Watkins said police deliberately sought the brightest paint
jobs offered by Holden and Ford. "I know these eye-catching,
high-performance vehicles will have people talking about the police
presence within the Monaro local area command," Mr Watkins said.
The cars, to be equipped with snow chains and in-house video
systems, will be used on a trial basis during 2003.
Operation Snow Safe begins this weekend – the official start of
the snow season – and is designed to ensure snowfields visitors take
extra care on local roads.
Content © Viva Goldner
The Daily Telegraph
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Toy handcuffs put teen in court
June 4, 2003
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Raymond Maher and his girlfriend Mary Dang
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IT was just a cheeky gift from a former flame, but a pair of toy
handcuffs have landed a teenager in court.
Police found the
metal handcuffs in the glove box of Raymond Maher's car when it was
pulled over and searched in Jacaranda Rd, Woolooware, on January 2.
"The officer came out and handcuffed me and went straight back to
the search," said Mr Maher, a 19-year-old student from Marrickville.
"When he finished the search, he came out with the handcuffs and
said, 'Are these yours?'
"I said: 'Yeah, they're mine, they're toys.' I looked at my
friend and he started laughing because it was obvious they were
toys," he said.
Two months later, Mr Maher was summonsed to appear in court on
charges of possessing a prohibited weapon.
He pleaded not guilty in Sutherland Local Court on March 13 and
April 24.
A police ballistics report was prepared on the toy handcuffs,
which cost less than $5 from toy shops and could be opened without a
key.
According to the ballistics report, the Chinese manufactured
handcuffs "are not antique nor are they a child's toy that are of an
approved type by the Commissioner of Police".
Mr Maher's father Desmond said the report omitted significant
details, such as the fact that the cuffs could be opened with a
safety latch.
He produced receipts for similar cuffs purchased from Uncle
Pete's Toyland for $5.99 on May 4 and Toys 'R' Us for $4.99 on
February 2 this year.
The handcuffs are recommended for use by children eight years and
over.
"I've been bashing my head against the wall trying to make people
see sense – it is just beyond a joke," he said.
Mr Maher said the toy handcuffs and a teddy bear were Valentine's
Day gifts from an ex-girlfriend last year.
Mr Maher's current girlfriend Mary Dang, 18, felt he had been
unfairly targeted by police.
The matter will next go before court on June 25.
Content © Viva Goldner
The Daily Telegraph
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Page Design © Ian Hunter.
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