IT’S time for your weekly police and crime update.

Missing Persons

The NSW Police have been utilising geo-targeting to help locate vulnerable missing persons, sending emergency alerts to mobiles in the area where the person went missing.

These messages will always be sent from +61 444 444 444 and is not a scam.

The message will also include a bitly link to an image of the missing person.

If you receive a message from this number and have any information: call 000 or CrimeStoppers at 1800 333 000 or report online via https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.

Double Demerits

Double demerits have been scrapped for the October long weekend in NSW with police claiming they “want to give the people of NSW a break”.

Police Minister David Elliot said that although the penalties are relaxed, the public should continue to follow road rules and public health orders.

“This is in no way a green light for drivers to break the rules – and traffic and highway patrol officers will be out in force as usual – but this weekend we won’t be doubling-up the demerits,” Mr Elliot said.

Marine Rescue

On the afternoon of 24 September, Marine Rescue Port Stephens received a request for assistance from a five metre open runabout that was grounded on a sandbar at Piggy’s Beach north of Boondelbah Island.

Four people including two adults and two children were on board the vessel.

Skipper Laurie had to nose in and tilt both engines up so that PS30 could get close enough to the beached vessel so that the owner could attach a tow line.

Successfully and quickly, the team got the vessel back with water under it and the family were back on their way.

Vehicular Crash

On 23 September, a motor vehicle crashed into the front of the hairdresser’s salon at Lakeside Shopping Village in Raymond Terrace.

The vehicle was occupied by an older lady who needed assistance in getting out of the car, however she was not trapped in the vehicle and had no major injuries.

The Raymond Terrace Fire and Rescue was called to the scene and assessed the structural integrity before deeming it safe for the car to be removed.

House Fire

A house fire on Mount Hall Road was reported to the Raymond Terrace Fire and Rescue on the night of 23 September with a Department of Housing property aflame.

The fire had spread through the floorboards of a room in the house and the rescue team smashed a window and forced their way through the front door.

Fortunately the property was vacated a week earlier and there were no residents in the house.

The fire was quickly extinguished by the team.

Rural Road Safety

The NSW Government is working on upgrading the safety of rural roads across the state to minimise accidents and deaths.

Works being implemented include flexible barriers, wide centre lines, rumble strips, motorcycle underrun and sealed shoulder widening at curves and on straights as part of the Road Safety Plan 2021.

In the 2020-21 period, 143 people lost their lives on country roads across NSW, over double that of metropolitan areas.

Slow down, take a break when you’re tired, stick to the speed limit and remember to always buckle up.

 

By Tara CAMPBELL