Kimberley business owners, shire in another call for action as youth crime wave leaves trail of destruction

Kimberley business owners and local government representatives have joined the chorus of voices calling for reforms to juvenile justice after a crime wave in the past month which included several local shops being ransacked. Businesses across Broome’s historic Chinatown precinct have battled with the break-ins, with some, including the Green Mango Cafe, enduring multiple robberies within two months. Popular local Vietnamese restaurant Mr Saigon has also been broken into multiple times. Restaurant owner Nicolas Jaramillot said after the most recent instance — in which Mr Saigon was targeted along with four other businesses on the same street — shop owners came together to discuss their options. “We spoke about all putting money together to hire security to do patrols, but really I think that shouldn’t be our responsibility, it’s the Government’s or the police,” he said. “The police are doing a fantastic job finding them, but I’ve spoken to them and they are as frustrated as we are — it’s the same people most of the time. We have CCTV cameras and when I show the police. they just instantly say, ‘Yep, we know who they are’. So I’m not sure what can be done. “They get caught and then I think the justice system just sees them let back out to do it again. “There needs to be some punishment.” Mr Jaramillot said his business was broken into six times last year, leaving him frustrated nothing had changed. “Every time they do this, it hurts our business. Every time a window is smashed, we have to pay to replace it. Sometimes we have to close for the day until a window person can replace it,” he said. The problem isn’t limited to Broome, either. In the shire of Derby/West Kimberley, the Fitzroy Crossing Visitor Centre was ransacked at the start of April, with tens of thousands of dollars in damage done to TV screens, computers, filing cabinets, fridges and windows causing a prolonged closure at the beginning of the tourist season. Shire of Derby/West Kimberley president and former Liberal candidate Geoff Haerewa said the State Government had been “silent” on the issue. “We need to do something about it. It’s not getting better and I’m now having people coming up to me saying they can’t tolerate it anymore and are leaving town,” he said. “We need to know what’s being done. It’s now more than a month since the election and we have absolutely no word on whether the approach will change. “I really do look forward to working with (Kimberley MLA) Divina (D’Anna) to get the outcomes the region so desperately needs. Our previous member stayed silent for so long and let it get to this point. Now we need to work to solve the issue.” In mid-2020, the State Government allocated more than $6 million to night patrols, safe spaces and the Aboriginal Legal Service as part of the Juvenile Justice Strategy. In December, a Shire of Broome-hosted Community Safety Forum saw business owners, residents and remote community members aired their ordeals and frustrations to a panel of local and State leaders, and all four State election candidates. Bluey’s Place Fish and Chips owner Lance Smith told the panel there were nights when he felt it was unsafe for himself and his workers to open the outlet in Old Broome. He said he had been forced to call police on two occasions just while he had been sitting at the forum. Resident Dot Johnston called for more security around Primewest Broome Boulevard, such as increased lighting and CCTV cameras because it was a spot where youngsters would hurl rocks at vehicles. “I’ve been here nearly 30 years and grew up in a granny flat that you didn’t even have to lock up,” she said. “My kids are scared to live here now.” Nyul Nyul woman Philomena Lewis said it was time parents became more responsible for their children because they had more influence over them than anyone else. “Back in the day we used to walk the street, but we played basketball and skip rope and we laughed,” she said. “Now you get them doing what they’re doing and it starts at home.”