Has your peaceful Sydney street become the seemingly ideal place for youth to fight? Or perhaps you’re finding an increased level of gang activity outside your home? There are some steps that you can take to minimise this, if not get rid of it all together.
People that live near popular night spots often have this problem as people leaving venues intoxicated, decide to punch on. Those living in quiet cul-de-sacs also can come across this issue, as their private street becomes the ideal location for gang members to meet.
Whatever your reason for witnessing an increased level of violence outside your home, here are some useful tips for curbing it:
1. Install sensor lights- In most instances, this type of activity happens at night and in the shadows. Have bright, sensor flood lights installed all around your property. That way, if someone comes near the front of your home, the sensor light will switch on, making it the not so ideal spot for a punch up.
2. Make sure all of your street lights are working- Talk to your council if any of your street lights are out. The lighter the street is at night, the less appealing it will be to people who want to do the wrong thing.
3. Form a neighborhood watch- Talk to your neighbours about the recent aggressive activity you’ve witnessed. They might have seen the same thing too, or know who it is. Form a neighbourhood watch to help safeguard your street.
4. Phone the police- Contact the police about the fight you witnessed and give them as much of a description of the people involved as possible.
5. Don’t intervene- If you see two men fighting outside on your street, stay away. You don’t want to end up in the middle of something and get hurt. The minute you see anything you should inform police.
6. Install security systems- cctv systems are great for capturing HD video footage on video cameras which can then be used to track down the individuals who were involved in the fight. If you have evidence of who is fighting outside your premises, you can then take the video surveillance footage to police who can then prevent this activity from happening in your street.
If you are living in an area where violence is of particular concern, chances are your home is also at risk of theft and vandalism. Surveillance will not only assist the police to stop people from fighting near your home but it will also help safeguard your family and residence from thieves and vandals.
7. Ask for an increased police presence- If you notice that on most friday or saturday nights that your street is home to young people who get drunk and start fighting with one another, inform the police who can increase their presence and help stop this from happening.
There are several important steps you can take to end the violence happening right outside your window. The most important thing to remember is to not take matters into your own hands and to always rely on the authorities to confront the perpetrators.
