A WILLASTON boy is on the lookout for his missing bike after it was stolen from the front porch of his Main North Road home three weeks ago.
Jaidyn East awoke on Wednesday, August 28, to realise his beloved BMX bike was missing from his front yard.
The bike, a red Flight X Scape JR130, was fitted with a heavy lock around the rim and tyre, meaning it was dragged or carried away from the property.
Jaidyn’s mum, Stacey East, said her other son’s bike had also been stolen last year, and was disappointed to see it happen again.
“You don’t expect Gawler to be an area where everything is going to go missing all the time,” she said.
“It also makes me worried because I think about how people have been coming right up to my front door; what else are they looking at?
“Are they looking through my front windows when I’m not here?
“I don’t know if I feel safe at night when these people are lurking around, because I was here when this all happened.”
The incident comes after police noted a drop in crime throughout Willaston in the past three months, despite a large sign at the Redbanks Road roundabout alerting the public to active thieves in the area.
According to police, June and July both recorded three offences for serious criminal trespass involving homes, while in August there were four instances, including the theft of Jaidyn’s bike.
Barossa Local Service Area chief inspector Shane Addison said while crime reports in Willaston were “low”, police patrols do occur in the area to “re-assure” the public.
“The areas where directed patrolling occurs are reviewed regularly in light of intelligence and crime reports,” he said.
“In particular, police will pay attention to areas where people of interest are known to congregate; and pay attention to particular streets, locations or premises where intelligence analysis has identified there is increased risk of offending or where known persons of interest are suspected to frequent.
“In addition to our key crime prevention information – particularly urging people to secure their homes and vehicles – police would also ask that anyone who notices any person acting suspiciously
around unattended buildings or construction sites after hours, or in hours of darkness, to call police immediately.
“Timely reports of suspicious behaviour enable police to attend the area, potentially preventing crime and locating offenders.”
Anyone who has information regarding Jaidyn’s stolen bike is encouraged to contact police on 131 444.