Mandurah Police share Halls Head crime outlook

A group of about 40 interested residents attended the event, hosted by Dawesville MP Zak Kirkup, with special guest Mandurah Police Acting Senior Sergeant Phil Woods. 

Acting Senior Sergeant Phil Woods told the group crime in Halls Head had increased by 4.5 per cent this quarter.

"That might sound terrible, but realistically it is not because we are down on car theft, assaults and burglaries," he said.

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"We are 27.3 per cent up on stealing, but this is only six more than the same time last year - that's the only difference."

Acting Senior Sergeant Woods said the increase was attributable to theft at the Halls Head Central shopping centre. 

For Mandurah as a whole, stealing is down by 22 per cent this quarter, he said. 

Acting Senior Sergeant Woods said there was about one burglary in Halls Head each week. 

He said police had seized 240 vehicles as a result of a recent operation targeting unregistered and stolen cars and bikes, which received a round of applause from the audience. 

"People are sick of hearing loud bikes or vehicles," he said.

"We work hard to target these crimes and have a traffic enforcement unit operating out of Mandurah.

"Please report hooning to Mandurah Police."

Halls Head resident Richard Bailey asked what police were doing to target crime which stems from methamphetamine use in the community.

Acting Senior Sergeant Woods said WA Police were targeting meth use and organised crime as part of a extensive operation tasked by Commissioner Chris Dawson. 

The drive was a "huge success" involving state and federal police. 

Halls Head Resident Dennis Warder asked how police are tackling organised crime in the region.

"I hear they are getting worse through extortion," he said. 

"They have a recruitment drive - it's getting out of hand."

Acting Senior Sergeant Woods said this was a Gang Crime Squad matter, but he understands associated crime had declined slightly. 

Senior Sergeant Woods touched on the Mandurah Forum as a target for theft, but said police work closely with staff to issue banning notices.

"It does have its stealing problems," he said.

"A lot of people come from other areas and commit offences."