By Jessica Micallef
Hume council is on a mission to stamp out hooning and crime across Sunbury.
The council will write to Victoria police local command to discuss a “myriad” of various challenges including hooning and crime in Sunbury.
Jacksons Creek ward councillor Jarrod Bell said he and fellow councillor Jack Medcraft have spoke to residents who had written to the council regarding their concerns about the safety and amenity of the town due to people driving their vehicle “dangerously and erratically.”
“I myself from my SES background have seen almost every week the impacts of dangerous driving and hooning across our city,” he said.
“I’d like to have a chat with Victoria police to see what their strategies are to make our community safer and to make our roads a safe place.”
Deputy mayor Jack Medcraft said the council had been in contact with Victoria Police in recent years about hooning and crime in Sunbury.
“People are complaining they cannot get any action at all,” he said.
“We did have years of negotiating with police command and we were assured things were working well and for some reason, they dropped the ball especially at the Sunbury station.
“We have a big problem out there with hoons and if you go out there on main roads, there are tyre marks just all the way up the roads.
“We need to ask command, what is going on? There are also a lot of robberies too with tradies’ vans and cars. It’s a real concern.”
Cr Chris Hollow said hooning and crime was not just an issue in Sunbury.
“It is right across Hume,’ he said.
“I have been receiving emails from residents in Greenvale and Westmeadows. It’s a major issue that needs to be stamped out.”
Cr Trevor Dance said the amount of crime in Sunbury was “going through roof”.
“Facebook is a great place to see how many cars have been stolen,” he said.
“Keyless keys are being copied. It is an issue and as far as burnouts go, they have gone through the roof. We need to meet with the police because it is not improving, it is growing.”
Sunbury police was contacted for comment.
