Crime spate in neighbouring Melville suburbs

by Lydia Ng

May 12 , 2008

NEIGHBOURING suburbs Winthrop and Kardinya have seen a series of crime in recent weeks, raising fears for safety in the area.

On May 10, a 60-year-old man was attacked by two balaclava-clad men in his home, and after that a robbery occurred only minutes later at a convenience store in nearby Kardinya.

“These two pricks came in and demanded cash, jewellery and drugs from me,” the man, who lives in Williamson St, told eMU News on May 12.

He declined to be named, but revealed that he studied law at Murdoch University last year.

“They came after me with a crowbar and baseball bat and took my money,” he said. “I tried to get them with a knife.

“There was blood everywhere!”

The attack left him with 16 stitches on the back of his head, a bruised eye and cuts all over his body.

Later on May 10, at the 24-hour convenience store, two unmasked men ran off with a pack of cigarettes after verbally abusing the store attendant and hitting him in the face.

On May 12, another attendant told eMU News his colleague managed to get the culprits’ car plate number, and that security cameras caught images of the bandits.

“I’m still comfortable here but it would be different if I was working graveyard hours,” said Michael (surname withheld) who works the afternoon shift.

Just two weeks ago, SUPA-IGA in Winthrop Village Shopping Centre was held-up at gun point by two men also wearing balaclavas.

A Murdoch cop, who did not want her name revealed, said there was nothing to suggest a link between the three incidents.

However, the recent crime spate has left residents with reason to worry.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s only a matter of time before more crime will happen because there aren’t enough police and we have to rely on private security to pick up the slack,” said Murdoch resident Greg MacKay.