OVER the last few months, a building that I have been renovating in the Geelong CBD has been broken into several times.
On one particular night, we had three separate attempts from different people in one evening.
As reported in local and statewide media, Pakington Street in Geelong West has also been subject to several break-ins over the last few weeks, with shops from Autumn Street through to the church having windows broken.
These criminals steal everything from copper pipes to tools, cash or whatever they can grab. I even had a wheelbarrow stolen, so if you see a green wheelbarrow going down the street, please let me know.
In the laneway behind my Myers Street office, we have had two Barwon Health nurses assaulted on their way to their car park, and my staff now walk to their cars in tandem for safety.
In central Geelong this shouldn’t be needed.
It’s no secret crime feels worse now than it ever has.
The most recent official release from Victoria Police in March shows a 15.5 per cent increase in offences between 2017 and 2026 throughout the Greater Geelong region, 2.6 per cent over the last 12 months.
In 2026, there are 2.21 offences per 100 people. These are the recorded offences, not counting those that are not arrested or charged.
I must say that in every case where I have had a break-in attempt, Victoria Police attended quickly and professionally and even came back several times during the night.
Our police do a great job with the resources they have.
I do wonder what has changed in our society. Police are a deterrent, but their visibility is not the simple answer. As a society we need to start thinking about what we are doing differently.
On Saturday, I attended the amazing Geelong market, run in Little Malop Street. But I came back to this space on Sunday, and it was like I was walking on a different planet to the day before.
This made me think and do some research.
Referencing the official Crime Statistics Agency report, I note that in the Geelong CBD, crime is up 22.8 per cent compared to Corio, which is up only 4 per cent across the same period.
Then you compare the redevelopment and activation of the Corio Shopping Centre with the vacant shops and scaffolding of Geelong CBD, and the reality of these figures starts to make sense.
The statistics support the principle that the physical and economic functioning of a place can influence the opportunity for antisocial behaviour.
A successful city centre brings together workers, residents, shoppers, hospitality patrons, students, tourists, families and visitors throughout the day and evening. This creates continuous legitimate activity and what is commonly described as passive or natural surveillance.
People provide “eyes on the street”. A busy cafe provides surveillance of the adjoining footpath. A restaurant operating into the evening provides light and activity after surrounding offices close.
Residents living above shops create activity outside business hours. Events attract families and visitors. Retailers provide staff presence and observation. Well-used pedestrian routes increase the number of people moving through public spaces.
By contrast, an inactive city centre can produce the opposite conditions.
Vacant shops, inactive building frontages, poorly illuminated laneways, empty public spaces and precincts that become deserted after 5pm reduce passive surveillance.
The absence of legitimate users can allow relatively small groups engaged in antisocial behaviour to dominate a public space and alter the community’s perception of safety.
This creates a damaging cycle.
If there was ever a case to support the redevelopment proposal for Market Square, this is it.
Sign the petition at UnlockGeelong.com
GARETH KENT
Director, Preston Rowe Paterson