April Newsletter 2024
Introduction & Overview
The printed April newsletter is presently at the printers and will be distributed from 26th April with information on local happenings, and warnings on current scams. Included is a guide on what to do and how to help family, friends or neighbours if and when a domestic violence incident occurs.
On Saturday 23 March NHW Ryde conducted a Community BBQ in conjunction with the Easter Celebrations at Anzac Park West Ryde. It was great sunny day with plenty of activities for the kids and a hotly contested singing competition for kids and adults.
Sausage Sizzle $4:00 and soft drinks $3:00. All proceeds assists NHW Ryde help create safer communities across the Ryde District by renewing our Safety literature and materials and subsidising our public liability insurance for our volunteers.
NHW Ryde is in need of replacement newsletter distributors in Denistone West, West Ryde, North Ryde, Gladesville, Marsfield, Macquarie Park, and Top Ryde. Can you help? Contact: nhwryde.com.au with contact details.(see below)
Coordinator’s Corner - Philip W Brown
Easter holiday period has come and gone and we are already into Autumn and heading towards our Winter months.
May to August are our darker months with shortened days and less visible daylight. With longer and colder nights, it is an opportunity for strangers and thieves to move around with less chance of detection as residents are tucked up in the warmth and behind closed curtains and blinds.
So what precautions have you taken to ensure your family, home and vehicle are secure? Thieving, break and enter of homes and stealing of vehicles is still happening in our areas.
Consider the installation of motion lighting, alarms and safety cameras as a deterrent to thieves and opportunity theft.
Upgrading door and window security locks is essential as well as keeping bushes well- trimmed, so as to not create hiding places for intruders. Tradies should ensure that their tools are well and truly secured and all equipment locked out of sight where possible and an alarm system installed.
It is very costly to lose tools as well as inconvenient as insurance is getting more expensive each year and no claim bonuses lost. Some tools are irreplaceable and expensive to replace.
Around the home all tools should be locked away and any serial numbers of tools, garden equipment and bikes should be recorded to help in recovery, if stolen. Lock the shed and do not leave bikes in driveways or in easily accessible places.
Disconnect portable battery chargers after charging to prevent them overheating or causing a fire.
AND REMEMBER - LOCK UP
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‘Be There’ A Useful App from the eSafety Commissioner
‘Be There’ App is an app that helps people support someone experiencing domestic violence or an unhealthy, toxic or abusive relationship.
It offers articles and activities to help you understand and recognise aspects of domestic violence and coercive control, as well as tips to safely support someone who is experiencing an abusive relationship.
The app includes recommended content and built-in reminders for activities as well as tips to help you offer support and safely take action.
‘Be there’ also includes a journaling feature that let you save notes about what you may see, hear and feel. Access to the app is protected by a passcode. ‘Be There’ has been developed by Griffith University.
- Website: bethereapp.com.au
Apps: Android app and Apple iOS app
Benefits of the ‘Be there’ app
Do you want to know what to say or how to ‘be there’ for a loved one, a friend or even a stranger who is in an unhealthy, toxic or abusive relationship?
‘Be there ‘is a free app that gives you direct access to tools that empower, educate and support you to help someone who is experiencing domestic or family violence.
Always have the tools on hand to help you recognise abuse and offer support to someone who may be experiencing or using the abuse. The app will help you do this safely and respectfully.
FLUBOT SCAM - What a flubot is:
Flubot is malicious (malware) that sends text messages to both Androids and iPhones. There are a large number of different types of Flubot text messages and scammers are updating them all the time.
It is strongly recommended that you never click on the links in these messages. It is best to delete them immediately. Android phones are more at risk.
The content of the text messages varies but they all contain a link containing 5-9 random numbers. They will often ask you to download an app to track or organise a time for a delivery, hear a voicemail message, or view photos that have been uploaded.
However, there is no delivery, voicemail, or photos uploaded and the app is actually malware called Flubot. If you have an Android device, typically the application downloaded is called Voicemail71.apk, Update42.apk’ or DHL34.apk. This application is malware.
The application may be able to:
- read your text messages
- send text messages from your phone
- make phone calls from your number
- access your contacts
Installing the software is likely to give scammers access to your passwords and accounts to steal your money or personal information.
It will also ask other infected Australian phones to send Flubot messages to the numbers it steals from your phone, continuing and expanding the scam. So, if you called the person that sent you the message, it would be another victim of the scam whose device was infected.
It is noted that 'Apple' devices may not be infected with Flubot but will likely be infected with other malware if you click on these links.
April Crime Report & Police News.
** Easter Traffic Report
Eight people lost their lives on our roads during the Easter long weekend following a number of crashes on the state’s roads, as a minority of road users continue to put themselves and others at risk through irresponsible and selfish driving behaviours.
Operation Easter 2024 commenced at 12.01am on Thursday 28 March 2024 and concluded at 11.59pm Monday 1 April 2024, with double demerit points in place throughout. The operation targeted the major factors contributing to road trauma – excessive speed, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, fatigue, non-wearing of seatbelts and helmets, and mobile phone use.
NORTH WEST METRO [includes Ryde PAC]
• Speed infringements: 719; • Breath tests: 39,476, • Drug-driving tests: 3,255,
• PCA charges: 52, • Major crashes: 50• Fatalities: 0
** Denistone March 2024 Break & Enter
A break and enter incident in Anthony Rd Denistone happened by persons unknown where the intruder entered at the rear of the property when the owners were not at home. Jewellery was stolen. Police attended and an investigation is ongoing.
Ryde Region PAC Incidents 2022-2023
Incident |
Jan–Dec 22 |
Jan–Dec 23 |
% |
Steal Motor Vehicle |
119 |
171 |
+43 |
Steal from Motor V |
352 |
348 |
-1.2 |
Steal from Retail |
288 |
375 |
+30 |
Steal other |
519 |
598 |
+15 |
Break & Enter Non Residence |
81 |
97 |
+19 |
Break & Enter Residence |
337 |
281 |
-20 |
Dom Violence Assault |
313 |
318 |
+1 |
Assault |
282 |
275 |
-2.5 |
Malicious Damage |
505 |
473 |
-6.7 |
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QUESTION: Who has right of way at an intersection?
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Neighbourhood Watch - Creating Safer Communities
TIME FOR an Autumn Stroll, - OF COURSE,
Exercise - YES, Help Our Community - YES,
Help reduce crime in our area – YES,
Help NHW - no, - maybe,- YES, of course I can.
Still looking for, and needing a few more residents,
to hand deliver one of our 7 Regional newsletters locally near you .
Just up to 1 hour only six times/year depending on zone newsletter numbers
One street - 50, two streets - 100, around the block - 150/200
Please advise your contacts by email to:
neighbourhoodwatchryde@outlook.com
or reply on our Website at: NHWRyde.com.au
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NHW Alternate Meeting Place
Due to the sudden closure of the Denistone Sports Club, Neighbourhood Watch Ryde monthly meetings have relocated to the North Ryde Sports Club (Eastwood Rugby Club) at 146 Vimiera Rd Marsfield at 7pm, 1st Wednesday of each month.
Pre-meeting networking and Dinner at Greene’s Restaurant from 6pm.
All residents are welcome to join in and also raise any local safety or crime concerns.
Next meeting 1st May 2024, 7pm.