Byron Crime Watch

Serious and violent crime have grown increasingly in Byron and neighboring Shires. Police can’t do everything, but good community planning and prevention can. Below are just a few of the recent press clippings about crime around Byron and its neighboring shires. 

4th March 2010 - Tweed youth don’t speak up, fearing gang violence. 
http://www.tweednews.com.au/story/2010/03/04/regaining-tweeds-streets/

Mon Mar 1, 2010 A second man has been charged over the murder of a 54 year old Byron Bay man. 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/01/2833286.htm

1st March 2010 - A Lennox Head charged with the murder of missing Byron Bay man John ‘Jack’ Garda.  
http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2010/03/01/murder-suspect-charged/

Mon Mar 1, 2010 Arson suspected in Grafton swim centre blaze. 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/01/2832925.htm

Mon Mar 1 2010 - Police find body in shallow grave, any leads please report to Byron Bay Police. 
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1018732/police-find-body-in-shallow-grave

Sat Feb 27 2010 - Suspect charged with murder of man missing in Byron Bay.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1018054/man-charged-with-murder-in-nsw

25 February 2010 -  Alcohol-related crime on the rise in Byron Bay.  Plan to combat binge drinking.
http://www.aa-uk.org.uk/alcoholics-anonymous-reviews/2992-plan-to-combat-binge-drinking

24th February 2010 - Local Commentary on Yamba Riots.
http://www.dailyexaminer.com.au/story/2010/02/24/yamba-blame-game/

23rd February 2010 - Three more people including a teenage girl have been arrested over the Yamba Valentine's Day riot. 
http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/story/2010/02/23/redfern-man-arrested-for-valentines-day-riot/

February 20, 2010 - Holiday haven one day, riots the next. 
http://www.smh.com.au/national/holiday-haven-one-day-riots-the-next-20100219-olzy.html

Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010 - Byron woman charged with check forgery.  
http://www.macon.com/2010/02/18/1027534/27-year-old-byron-woman-charged.html

17th February 2010 - Alcohol in Byron Bay, number one reason behind excessive violence.  
http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2010/02/17/dan-murphys-bid-condemned/

16th February 2010 - Yamba riot leaves town in shock. Police vehicle torched and 15 people arrested.  
http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2010/02/16/riot-leaves-town-in-shock/

13th February 2010 - Father's anguish over loss of son’s life on a Byron Bay street. 
http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2010/02/13/fathers-anguish-over-loss-of-life/

February 12, 2010 - Drug dealer recruited his mother, father and brother-in-law in drug trafficking, large amounts of illegal drugs bought in Byron Bay. 
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,,26712625-5003402,00.html

12 Feb 2010 - Byron Police seek public's help to solve near-fatal shooting. 
http://www.wrexu.com/Global2/story.asp?S==11979658

4th February 2010 - $3m cannabis haul in 3 days, Tweed Byron Crime, Robberies, Assaults.   
http://www.tweednews.com.au/story/2010/02/04/dropping-in-on-drugs/

December 11, 2009 Father of teenager killed in schoolyard brawl angry that no one was charged. 
http://www.news.com.au/national/angry-father-seeks-mullumbimby-school-death-charges/story-e6frfkvr-1225809267633 

29th September 2009  'Bonnie & Clyde' crime spree, robbed 3 stores and tried to run down two police officers in pursuit.

http://www.byronnews.com.au/story/2009/09/29/bonnie-clyde-2009-style-bonnie-clyde-caught-in-cof/

August 29, 2009 Mullumbimby High School student dies in schoolyard fight. 
http://www.farnorthcoaster.com.au/news/5577/mullumbimby-high-student-dies-after-schoolyard-incident/

6th July 2009 Crime spirals on Lismore's streets. Safety on streets unlikely to improve following Lismore City Council slashing $30,000 from budget. 
http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2009/07/06/street-crime-damages-lismores-reputation/

29th June 2009 Lismore man on murder charge after fatal stabbing. 
http://www.tweednews.com.au/story/2009/06/29/lismore-man-on-murder-charge/ 

12th March 2009  Byron Bay is a boozing, brawling, drink-driving hot spot by latest NSW Government figures.

http://www.byronnews.com.au/story/2009/03/12/a-boozing-brawling-drink-driving-hot-spot/

 9th February 2009 Lismore man on child porn charges. 
http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2009/02/09/lismore-man-on-child-porn-charges/

Theses are only the cases that were reported to newspapers, there are many more cases that don't reach the news, and many more crimes that aren't reported to police, such as rape, child abuse, social and domestic violence, and petty theft. These shires had no murders for many years at a time until 2008. Theses are serious crimes  even for a big city tourist neighborhood, such as in Haight Ashbury,  San Francisco.

For communities with small close knit local populations such as Byron and it's neighbors, violent crimes and their increase can be devastating, not only in the present, but to their children's future, and to the collective tourism industries that directly and indirectly attract or cause the crime. 

Woops... there goes the neighborhood and the real estate profits!

This is not a recent crime spree. In 2004 and 2005 the Byron Bay Mayor and Police stated the crime was under control all while there were many complaints of tourists and non residents being assaulted and having their cars stolen. Statistical reports showed that Byron Bay was more dangerous than city.

Report figures revealed that a person is more likely to be assaulted in Byron Bay than in a city such as Sydney. In 2004 there were nearly double the offences than in the Sydney tourist mecca of Bondi Beach. According to the Bureau of Crime Statistics, there were 361.4 violent offences committed, while in Bondi there were 173.2. There were also more motor vehicle thefts with three more cars stolen in Byron Bay.

Then Bureau of Crime Statistics director Don Weatherburn stated publicly that “Byron Bay has a big crime problem”. Weatherburn included in his statement that there was also "no sense of community", which leads to people and property getting hurt. “It’s an ingredient for high crime.”

Even in the 1980s and 1990’s there have been problems with riots, rape, theft, and property damage. It’s only one side of the story, the people committing the crimes are obviously making a statement, whether they know it or not, about the lack of healthy community and community and youth facilities in Byron.  In any town or city when there is a lack of community there is kaos.  

Something has to be done and the local government can't be trusted to do the right thing. The Byron Bay Mayor and Police are saying the crime in Byron is under control, but crime reports don't lie. Byron Bay Mayor and Police are obviously doing a cover up, so they can protect real estate values, but it has sent away the local residents who looked after the town and it's full time inhabitants, and is slowly and surely killing the tourism industry and the safety and local economy of this beautiful and once vibrant local community.

The other side of the coin is that tourists often instigate the violence by treating the locals badly, then when the local say something about it, the tourists go on the war path and throw the first punch. See Rex Hun, celebrity tourist, get out of line in Byron Bay.

 



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