Businesses call for more surveillance

Rockingham foreshore businesses are fed up with the constant vandalism and break-ins at their stores and have called for more closed circuit cameras.

The comments come after Rockingham Beach Road boutique Love to Be had its doors ripped off and products stolen last week.

Shop owner Paula Beevar said she lost thousands of dollars worth of stolen Guess bags and designer clothes. While insured, Mrs Beevar said a number of businesses nearby were fed up with the poor security measures.

Rockingham Raine and Horne principal Paul Curran said the existing security cameras were not acceptable.

“We were broken into prior to Christmas at 7.30am and had a camera stolen” he said. “In my council rates I am paying for security, but I question what the camera was taking photos of the day we were broken into.”

City of Rockingham mayor Barry Sammels said the city had applied for CCTV funding, but only some had been approved.

If all was approved, he said it would amount to $1.3 million in CCTV upgrades and installations around the city.

“The city has approximately 120 cameras covering the interior of facilities and public areas, but many of these existing cameras will need to be upgraded,” he said.

Cr Sammels said the process would start in May and was expected to be finished by May 2015.

Rockingham police acting officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Lance Sloan said they were working closely with the City to get more closed circuit cameras installed in the area.

He said police were reactive, but hoped the cameras would create a proactive response.

“We can’t be everyone at once and try to spend equal amounts of time in all parts of Rockingham,” he said.

“The cameras will allow us to monitor activity from here.”

Rockingham Kwinana Chamber of Commerce chief executive Tony Solin said he had received no complaints from chamber members, but urged business owners to contact him or the chamber if they were concerned.