Traders plug in to vandal camera plan

LIGHTS, cameras, action.
That is the plan developed by Pakenham traders, council officers and police when they held a vandalism forum last week.
Ongoing concerns about the lack of appropriate street lighting in and around Pakenham was highlighted along with the need to ‘light up the town’ to stop further attacks.
And the onus on installing surveillance cameras was shifted back to business owners with Cardinia Shire Council discouraged at the high price of installing and monitoring the technology.
Several other issues were canvassed at the meeting in an attempt to combat the continued spate of vandalism that has occurred in Main Street this year.
Pakenham Business Group president Michael Porter said the forum was a beneficial exercise for all involved and several of the ideas raised would be put into action.
“Surveillance cameras were discussed and a number of points were brought up in relation to the cost to install, maintain and monitor them,” Mr Porter said.
He said if a business owner wanted to go ahead and install their own cameras they were encouraged to do so.
Traders also expressed their concern at the number of poorly lit areas in town.
Mr Porter said he and another trader had counted 24 street lights around Main and John streets that were not working last week. “We really think that by lighting up the town it will go a long way to stopping the vandalism around Pakenham.”
Mr Porter also put a callout to all traders to increase the visibility and lighting of their own shop fronts by leaving their lights on over night. “Everyone wants to work together and not blame each other for the vandalism problems in town,” he said.
Pakenham Police have said they will help tackle the problem by increasing foot patrols and making sure there is a heightened police presence along the busy shopping strip.
Doug Evans, Cardinia council manager of governance and communication, said the meeting was covered vandalism and was the first step in a concerted effort to stamp out the problem.
“A further meeting will be held in August when the respective groups will report back on initiatives and actions that can be implemented.
“This will be a joint approach in partnership with the council, police and shopkeepers,” Mr Evans said.