In the shadow of darkness, sometimes thieves are lurking down side streets, back roads and farm paddocks, checking for unlocked cars, sheds, houses and gates to steal whatever they can.

“It is a sign of the times, driven by the high cost of living as a result of high electricity prices,” according to RM Electronics owner Rob Mutton who is currently selling a record number of security cameras, helping police catch thieves.

Gas bottles, bicycles, motor bikes, trailers and chainsaws are on the list of goods that criminals steal along with money, tools, garden items, jewellery and alcohol – “they will take whatever they can”.

On farms it appears thieves also search for guns, ammunition, fencing items and fuel, along with firewood.

Some thieves are breaking into farm paddocks on windy nights when chainsaws can’t be heard.

Cutting redgum into smaller pieces, they later sell it in a different area or district for $400 – $500 a ute or trailer load.

Sometimes the trailer and chainsaw used are stolen too!

While on farm properties or in town sheds, thieves search for power tools like angle grinders and drills along with gardening equipment, welders, batteries, tyres, fishing items and generators.

One woman even reported her chooks, ducks and their feed stolen, among other items.

In some instances, even motor bikes have been reportedly stolen and a farm car taken “some time ago” is yet to be found. Police recovered the motor bikes.

At one property, even the light bulbs were reportedly stolen – “perhaps to use for an illegal drug lab” suggested a mechanic who did not want to be named.

“They (thieves) are even going after the fuel in centre pivots and machinery.

“Farmers go out to start their tractor thinking it is full of fuel, only to find the tank has been drained,” he said.

Naracoorte Lucindale Council has long been grappling with the cost of criminals attempting to steal fuel from machinery and vandalising public property. But CCTV is making it harder for the offenders.

Council’s CCTV footage recently captured a thief trying to steal property at the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange.

The council has also passed on to police the CCTV footage of vandals prowling about toilets and playground areas, leading to arrests.

In 30 years of business, RM Electronics owner Rob Mutton has never sold so many security cameras.

“I sold 10 last week – 10 this week. They are just going out the door,” Mr Mutton said.

“It’s the biggest number of sales I’ve ever had for security cameras, and I started here in 1995.

“It is in the towns and on farms, and it’s everywhere – Naracoorte, Hynam, Frances, Lucindale, Bordertown, Kingston, Robe – it’s everywhere and it is out of control.

“The reports are not all coming through the media and people are not hearing the full story of the amount of crime that is out there.

“I don’t know if people aren’t reporting the crimes to the police, or if the police aren’t reporting the crimes to the media, or what.

“But we just aren’t being told the full story about what is going on.

“It is a crime wave – that’s for sure, and I haven’t seen it this bad before.

“It has been brought on by the cost of living and power prices – the 30 percent increase in power prices. Power prices are just too expensive and it affects everything, and everyone.

“A lot of people can’t afford to pay their bills and there’s a criminal element who are trying something else now – stealing.

“The higher the cost of living goes up, the higher the crime rates go up – there’s just a criminal element who does that sort of thing.

“Firewood is very expensive, so people will go where they can to get it and then sell it.

“Everything has gone up in price. So anything anyone just steals from someone else, is going to have more value than it did before.

“I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better. There’s going to be a lot of people struggling to pay their bills while we’ve got these ridiculously high power prices forcing up the cost of living on everything.”

Mr Mutton said the most sought after security cameras were solar powered with images sent direct to people’s phones, a hard drive or stored in the cloud.

“The cameras are really quite good now and you can clearly see people’s faces as well,” Mr Mutton said.

Once caught on camera, especially the more recent cameras, the task was made a lot easier for police to make arrests.

“There are plenty who have been caught, but what is happening to them when they’ve gone through to the magistrate?” Mr Mutton said.

“I don’t think we are being told enough about what’s happening through the entire theft system – not enough about the crimes, or the arrests or what happens to them.

“I know personally from what has happened here, they go through the court and the magistrate has given them a payment plan that goes on forever and there’s no real consequences for their actions.

“The backbone of Australia is small business. We need support from crime and I don’t think we are getting that from the court system either.”

Local police are no longer allowed to speak to the media without them gaining special permission.

The SA Police media unit reported at the end of July that the Robe, Kingston, Naracoorte area all had very low crime statistics.

The media unit said that if people were not reporting crimes, they could not be investigated.

“Police are aware of and investigating several break-ins within the Naracoorte and surrounding areas,” a spokesperson said.

“Anyone who has been a victim of a break-in is urged to contact police as soon as possible.

“For safety tips and advice on how to protect your business, farm or property, please visit our website.”

This article appeared in the Naracoorte Community News.