Neighbourhood Watch eyes safety with new signs

Wagga Neighbourhood Watch is forging ahead after the group became incorporated and secured a grant to erect 150 new signs in problematic hot spots to encourage neighbours to keep an eye on one another. 

“The purpose of the signs is to let those inscrutable members of society know that Neighbourhood Watch us alive and well in Wagga,” committee president David Abbott said.

“It’s neighbours looking after neighbours. It’s an ongoing blight on what is a wonderful city.”

The Wagga resident of 23 years, who works in the security industry, is optimistic the growth of Neighbourhood Watch will cut crime across the city.

“I’m hoping it will deter those who do break the law by letting them know, as a community, we’re starting to look out for each other,” Mr Abbott said.

“With the (rise) of social media, we’re becoming less social, so it’s about bringing back that neighbourly feeling.”

The signs will vary in size from regular street signs to larger ones at the entry of various suburbs, but local police and council will work collaboratively to determine where they are placed.

Committee member Wayne Deaner, a driving force behind the online page resurrected several years ago, said becoming incorporated was a step in the right direction. 

“It’s making people aware there’s an active Neighbourhood Watch program in their suburb,” he said. 

“People are starting to watch out and take notice of what’s going on in their neighbourhoods.”

The group paired with local police to host its third community meeting on Monday night to offer residents information on home safety and security.

Committee member Nicole Eggleton hopes this latest meeting will yield a similar response, with a reported drop in crime in both Glenfield and Ashmont since the first two meetings were held in the respective suburbs over the past few months.

Plans are also in the works to later develop smaller signs for people to erect on their own letterboxes.