Police eye on transport crime

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
POLICE targeted anti-social behaviour across public transport hubs and bus routes in the Yarra Ranges last week.
Transit safety police and local police conducted plain clothes and uniform patrols at Lilydale and Chirnside Park transport hubs and rode buses servicing the Lilydale to Warburton route following recent reports of young people causing trouble.
They identified a number of young people engaging in minor criminal, alcohol and public order-related offences and issued a small number of infringement notices.
Acting Senior Sergeant Ashley Sinfield from the Transit Safety Division said word of police presence spread quickly and police saw a noticeable decline in anti-social behaviour.
“People are beginning to get the message that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and is being addressed quickly so it’s pleasing to see a decline in inappropriate behaviour on and around public transport,” she said.
“We’ve developed good relationships with public transport providers and have been able to identify and target local issues before they become problematic.”
She said the police had a dedicated focus about safety on public transport at peak times and at night to ensure commuters were safe and felt safe.
“Plain clothes operations will continue in conjunction with high visibility patrols so remember, just because you can’t see us doesn’t mean we’re not there,” she said.
Similar operations are planned in Belgrave and Ferntree Gully over the coming weeks.
Dedicated transit safety police are based at Box Hill and regularly patrol the Lilydale and Belgrave train lines, local transport hubs and bus routes.