Police are aware of a group of teenagers — who congregate at late-night food venues and entertainment venues — and are responsible for verbal, and occasionally physical, attacks on people seeking out a “midnight snack’’.
One such attack on two teenagers reportedly ended with the pair seeking refuge in a nearby home after a knife and broken bottle were allegedly produced by the group.
A lack of CCTV cameras in Echuca’s CBD has been a constant source of frustration for police and business operators alike, a failed Federal Government submission by the Committee for Echuca Moama in mid-2021 failing to gain support.
The application for funding would have seen more than 90 cameras, worth almost $400,000, installed throughout Echuca and Moama and linked back to Echuca and Moama police stations.
C4EM chief executive officer Deanne Armstrong said she had taken up the challenge of securing the CCTV camera funding after it had been a long-time goal of her predecessors.
“I know how effective it has been in Shepparton. It made it much easier for the police to react quickly and to monitor areas of concern,” Ms Armstrong said.
Ms Armstrong said the Shepparton camera network had been established less than 10 years ago and was a leading deterrent for vandals, criminals and groups looking to cause late-night trouble.
She said C4EM was now looking at other avenues for funding.
“We were knocked back, but we will try again to secure funding a different way,” she said.
“Our goal was to ensure the security of the community. The project has been talked about for a long time.”
Echuca’s McDonald’s Restaurant — the scene of one alleged incident — closes at midnight, much earlier than several other venues in the vicinity, but attracts high volumes of vehicles and foot traffic.
McDonalds Restaurant owner Scott Moller said he had not been made aware of any consistent gathering of groups at the popular High St eatery.
“During the warmer months we regularly have groups, L and P-platers who gather at the restaurant for a frozen coke and ice cream,” Mr Moller said.
“We have a significant amount of cameras on site and I am not aware of anything that would be considered hostile behaviour.”
