Neighbourhood Watch in
Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby

eNewsletter #440 - 17 March 2020

This weekly eNewsletter is compiled by Neighbourhood Watch volunteers as a service for residents in Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby council areas. The eNewsletter is a new type of Neighbourhood Watch; utilising the available technology to keep people more connected and up-to-date with local crime and safety issues. 

The eNewsletter includes a selection of posts from the Ku-ring-gai PAC Facebook page (also known as 'eyewatch'), primarily for those not familiar with Facebook. We add anything interesting from a Neighbourhood Watch point-of-view - this could be a local newspaper article, a roadwork warning, crime prevention tip(s), an upcoming Neighbourhood Watch meeting, Q&As from residents, or an item from an other Police command ("Crooks know no boundaries!").

Diversions: Northbound: There is no northbound access to the M1 from the Pacific Hwy or Pennant Hills Rd at Wahroonga. Motorists can use the Pacific Hwy and then join the motorway at Berowra.

Southbound: Motorists are being diverted off the M1 at Berowra Interchange onto the Pacific Hwy. Motorists can continue on the highway towards Hornsby and Wahroonga or rejoin the M1 at Mount Colah via Kuring-Gai Chase Rd. 

Southbound traffic on the M1 is queued for around 10km from Mooney Mooney approaching the Berowra exit. Southbound traffic on the Pacific Hwy is queued for around 18km from Brooklyn through to Mount Colah. Delay your journey Expect delays; Use diversions Emergency services. & Transport for NSW are attending. Heavy traffic conditions. LATEST INFO: https://m1traffic.com.au 

Read more here. and sign up to our free email Alert Service to keep up to date with the latest online threats here.

• you have any of the symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath & other flu like symptoms, AND
• you have travelled to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea or been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

If you think you should be tested call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 or your GP.

Find out more about getting tested for COVID-19 here.

If you have any information as to whom the offenders may be, please contact your local police and ask for the Lawn Order department.

Have a great weekend 😉

A 22 year old male from Killarney Vale was intercepted travelling on a north bound train at Hornsby. The male who was wanted for an outstanding warrant was arrested by police from the Public Transport Command. He was searched and an amount of methylamphetamine was located in his bag. The male was charged with Posses prohibited drug. He will appear at court later this month.

A 71 year old male from Warrawee was involved in a motor vehicle accident at Turramurra after failing to stop at an intersection. A breath test revealed a positive result for alcohol (0.194). The male was charged with Drive vehicle under influence of alcohol. He will appear at court next month.

A 45 year old female from Normanhurst was identified by staff stealing three bottles of wine from a liquor store at Thornleigh. The female who is banned from the location was conveyed to hospital due to her high levels of intoxication and will be issued a Criminal Infringement Notice for Stealing once she is released.

Two 15yo youths from Berowra & South Turramurra attended a liquor shop at Mount Colah where they stole alcohol from the drive through area. Later that afternoon one of the youths was stopped by police at Hornsby train station with no valid ticket. He was later seen on CCTV entering Kmart at Westfield Hornsby and stealing a pair of shoes. The youth who is eligible for a youth caution has been issued a banning notice from Westfield Hornsby.

A 33 year old female from Narraweena came to notice outside a licensed premises in Hornsby as a result of an altercation that had occurred earlier in the evening. A general search of the female located crystal matter in her jacket pocket which she admitted was methylamphetamine. She was charged with Possess prohibited drug and will appear at court next month.

Have you considered “Target hardening” yourself and property? The Ku-ring-gai PAC has experienced a number of break and enters along with steal from motor vehicles in the past few weeks. Some suburbs where this type of criminal activity has been higher are Wahroonga, Turramurra, Pymble, St Ives and Westleigh. This list does not mean that your suburb is not or will not be a target in the future.

On a happier note, we have had some success with the arrest of two males who were active in the Galston, Wahroonga, St Ives and Pymble suburbs.

Be vigilant. It’s important to you, your families and the community to be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour and suspicious activities in your area and then to report it in a timely manner. Here are some ideas which when implemented, help to “Target Harden” yourselves and may help minimise the chance of you becoming a victim to these types of offences.

TARGET HARDEN YOURSELVES AND YOUR COMMUNITY.

* Lock your doors and windows
* Lock your vehicles, even when parked in your garage or carport
* Keep valuables out of view when parking at a shopping centre
* Keep your hedges cut to a height where criminals can easily be seen from the street and by your neighbour.
* Install sensor lighting around your home
* Consider an alarm
* Look out for your neighbours
*Consider joining your local Neighbourhood Watch Group

HOW TO REPORT CRIME.
“000” - Emergency or life-threatening situations
131 444 - Police Assistance Line – for non-emergency situations
1800 333 000 - Crime Stoppers to report crime anonymously.

A HORNSBY sushi chef was caught taking videos up the skirts of young, unsuspecting women at Woolworths Town Hall. Yosuki Ibaraki, of Hornsby, 37, pleaded guilty after being charged with film persons’ private parts without consent on January 26. A grocery shopper spotted him carrying out the perverted act and reported it to security who approached Ibaraki. Police were patrolling the area when they came across the dispute between security and Ibaraki, who’d attempted to conceal his black mobile phone in a vegetable shelf. When the police asked to see his phone he showed them a white phone but after being questioned further he finally gave up a black phone, despite a last ditch attempt to select and delete all of the videos. Police arrested him and conducted a search that found 22 videos of seven women in the supermarket from 2.43pm to 3.20pm. In the footage women’s underwear can be seen, with one video as long as one minute and 45 seconds.

According to court papers Ibaraki told police he thought all the women were about 25 years old. “He said it was his first time doing such an offence and that he was going to watch it again later and masturbate over the videos,” police notes state. “He also asked police if he was successful in recording the up skirting videos.”

He was later taken to Day Street police station where officers confiscated his phone and duplicated the videos for evidence. Some of the offences were also captured on CCTV.

He was supported in court last week by his family, including a mother and child. During sentencing he received a community corrections order with a conviction of 12 months and was ordered to undergo rehabilitation.

GALSTON Police are investigating a break and enter at Green E Roses nursery shed on Galston Rd. The incident happened between 3.45pm on March 2 and 6pm on March 4, with $2850 worth of items pinched. It’s believed an unidentified offender managed to gain entry by unknown means and stole two laptops, two batteries, a charger and a blower.

WAHROONGA Residents are being urged to ensure their doors, windows and garages are locked after a break enter and steal on Wahroonga Ave. On March 4 between 9.45am and 10.30am an unidentified person or group has opened a ground floor sliding door and stole $64,000 worth of jewellery from the main bedroom to the home. No one was home at the time of the incident.

HORNSBY Police are reviewing CCTV after a driver in the Hornsby Hospital car park caused damaged to the boom gate on Palmerstone Rd. About 3pm on March 2 a black Audi entered the driveway of gate two and slowly crashed into the boom gate causing it to come off its hinge and fall to the ground. The car was driven a short distance before turning around and exiting the location. Footage depicts a male driver with a female passenger at the front. The driver caused $200 worth of damage.

BEROWRA The Wise Monkey Cafe on Berowra Waters Rd was broken into between 4.30pm on March 3 and 5.15am on March 4. A total of $6000 of property was damaged and stolen. An unknown person gained entry by forcing the lock on a ground floor front window. The timber surrounds were damaged and cash stolen from the register.

WESTLEIGH Between midnight and 5am on March 3 a home on Water Sessions Rd was broken into as residents were asleep. Someone entered through the front door and stole $1125 worth of property, including two iPhone X’s and $25 cash from the loungeroom and master bedroom. Forensics were notified and police are continuing their investigation into the robbery.

ROSEVILLE A Roseville man has been charged after he allegedly committed a sexual act in front of school girls earlier this month. The 38-year-old man is accused of removing his clothing and covering his face while parked in his car on Hill St about 3pm on March 3. Police allege the man squatted on the passenger seat of his vehicle and committed a lewd act which was observed by two school girls. The man was arrested and has been granted conditionail bail to appear at Hornsby Court this month.

A Naremburn woman has been scammed while trying to sell a car on the Gumtree website. An investigation was launched after a woman was contacted by a person posing as a potential buyer who stated they were buying the car for their son in the Northern Territory. The supposed buyer then claimed they would organise the car to be transported and would transfer $1800 into the woman’s PayPal account so she could pay the transport company. The scammers sent the woman a fake PayPal email saying that the $1800 was on hold and requested that she transfer $1800 into a bank account, claiming she would be reimbursed later. Anyone with information is asked to call police.

Here are some sites that are trustworthy. They host a range of information including advice for students, home isolation, close and casual contacts, and industries. Information also includes webinars, Australian Government travel advice, and advice on flights with confirmed cases:

• · NSW Health Webpage here.
• · NSW Health detailed FAQs here.
• · NSW Health Facebook page here.
• · Federal Government Webpage here.

Both levels of government are providing translated materials and promoting resources via social media. There is also a general COVID-19 Federal Government Hotline on 1800 020 080. This is operational 24/7.

Panic and alarmism are not helpful in protecting the community from COVID 19. Our best response to the virus is to heed expert health advice to wash hands thoroughly and often, to cover our coughs and to self-isolate if necessary.

I hope you and your family maintain good health.

Officers from Northern Beaches Police Area Command found 66-year-old Antonio ‘Tony’ Plati critically injured on Oliver Street, Freshwater, about 5.45am on Saturday 22 February 2020. He later died in hospital. Police believe the driver of the 4WD towing a trailer might be able to assist with inquiries.

Investigators are also appealing for any motorists who might have been in the Freshwater area around the time of the crash, and have dashcam footage relevant to the investigation, to contact police. Strike Force Clarefield has been established by detectives from Northern Beaches Police Area Command and the Crash Investigation Unit to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. 

REMOVE ALL VALUABLES
• Do not leave any valuables in your vehicles. Take them with you if possible.
• If you must leave valuables in your car – place them in your boot without being seen.
• Remove GPS units and wipe the suction mark off the window.
• Do not leave personal documents such as your registration or drivers licence in your car. These items contain your home address.
• Do not leave house keys or garage door openers in your car – they may be stolen and used in home burglaries.
LOCK UP
• Lock your car – always physically check it is locked, even when parking at home or just leaving your car for a moment.
• Close all windows – including sunroof.
• Tradespeople – lock external tool boxes and equipment if they can’t be removed.
SECURE YOUR CAR
• Park in a locked garage if possible.
• Park in a well-lit area – thieves do not want to be caught breaking into cars, so increase the risk that others will detect them.
• Install a car alarm
• Remove car key from ignition or turn the car off and turn the steering wheel to lock.
• Invest in a steering wheel lock.