Residents band together to keep safe

Criminals beware - the Viber Tree is growing branches.A Turangi neighbourhood is using people power to stop crime from happening, drawing praise from local police.It all started about two years ago, when some Turangi residents got together to set up the the network. It is called Viber Tree, because members use the web-based instant messaging service Viber.At the start, there were only half a dozen people on the tree. Now there is 40.The point of the Viber Tree is alert neighbours of suspicious activity in the area and it has had some good results.In May, a young man was seen acting suspiciously and was followed by residents over the Viber Tree.He was soon apprehended by police, after being found in a property where he shouldn’t have been. He has been charged with burglary and aggravated burglary and is currently before the court.Another man was also spotted by members of the Viber Tree and he, too, has been charged with burglary.The Viber Tree allows residents to send a bulk message to everyone on it. They, in turn, keep an eye out in their area for suspicious activity and then contact the police if something happens.“All we, as a community, can do, is be eyes,” Viber Tree member, Eric Wilson, said.Someone 500 metres away can spot something not quite right and then alert others in the street.“The Viber Tree runs from State Highway 1 up to the river.The Viber Tree has been praised by the Turangi Police and they are hopeful other residents around the Turangi area see the same benefits of the Viber Tree."It really is new for security measures which is great,” senior sergeant Tere Morunga, said.“Soon, our criminals won’t be able to walk the street."Morunga would like to see something similar in the Tauranga-Taupo area too after a spike in burglaries recently."We are going to increase our presence there with local security guards,” Morunga said.A public meeting will be held in Tauranga-Taupo to speak with locals about the rise in criminal activity.“We will also go over other preventative measures that people can take, like the Viber Tree, which we would like to see replicated in other areas."The meeting will cover community patrols and neighbourhood support in the area and will start at 6pm on Wednesday August 2 at The Store.

Ref: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/95122082/Residents-band-together-to-keep-safe