Support urged to

CASEY Police has urged the community to join the fight against increasing household burglaries in the area.
More than 840 burglaries were reported in Casey during the last financial year.
Although the figure dropped by 9.1 per cent from the previous year, local police still want residents to help.
Crime prevention officer Senior Constable Eddy MacDonald said there were several key areas where residents could quickly and easily improve property security.
“Police cannot win the battle against burglaries on their own,” Sen Const MacDonald said.
“We will do our utmost to catch the people committing these crimes, however the community must also take an active role in helping prevent burglaries occurring in the first place.
“Burglaries from residential premises are one of the most commonly reported incidents, costing the community millions of dollars each year.”
Neighbouring Greater Dandenong and Cardinia municipalities both had a burglary increase of more than 13 per cent.
“It can be heartbreaking for people to come home to find their most precious possessions gone or damaged and replacing them can be a costly and time-consuming process.
“By taking a few simple steps each day before you leave home to secure your property, you can save yourself the emotional stress of a break-in.”
Sen Const MacDonald said one of the biggest misconceptions people had was that a burglary would only take place when the resident was away from the property for a long period of time.
“A home can be burgled at any time, with many occurring while the residents are at work or out for short periods such as going out to do shopping or taking kids to sport.”
The two most effective methods of preventing burglary, Sen Const MacDonald, reckons are securing your premises and using common sense.
“The simple act of something as easy as locking all external doors and windows could have a significant impact on reducing the number of burglaries committed in Greater Dandenong, Cardinia and Casey,” he said.
Currently around 22 per cent of burglaries occur when an offender enters the premises through an unlocked window or door, he said.
“Experience shows the best defence against burglaries is a well-secured home, so don’t wait until you become a victim of home burglary – start changing the way you secure your home now,” he cautioned. For more advice, contact the Crime Prevention Office on 9767 7530 or the Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator on 5991 0613. Any suspicious activity can also be reported to crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.