No police on hand

My own commercial property in West St, Umina, was burgled two weeks before Christmas.

Some 60 shop fronts have had their glass facades smashed, the same hardware store and shops several times till there is no prospect of insurance.

Often it is just vandalism but also for the purpose of robbing the businesses.

All this happens while they the business owners are tucked up in bed dreaming of a quiet night perhaps.

We are not alone in enduring the increasing criminal property damage.

Across NSW armed robberies and ram-raids are the most openly offensive to the good people whose bottom line, in the face of adversity, is simply to attempt to run businesses in a increasingly violent and dangerous environment.

In every case, they are in communities almost completely devoid of any worthwhile police presence during the small hours.

This most recent episode, the ram-raid in West St, Umina, on Thursday, March 15, at 2.30 am, ended with our newspaper delivery guy giving chase to the four balaclava-clad miscreants.

With obviously no police on hand, a citizen car chase compounding this violent disturbance to our quiet enjoyment of community life, with no prospect of an arrest I must say.

I am angry and I can't understand why fellow citizens are not marching in the streets in protest!

We are not getting a discount on our taxes for a sub-standard police presence!

Edward James Umina