Businesses on Albany’s main street call for more CCTV in bid to catch vandals

York Street business owners want more CCTV cameras installed along Albany’s main drag to curb late-night vandalism. Majuba Bistro owner Andrea Love said she was fed up with finding vandalism when she arrived to open her restaurant after weekends. Ms Love has placed planter boxes outside the bistro in an effort to “beautify” her section of York Street, only to have the plants ripped out. The restaurateur said she felt “neglected” because the City of Albany had ignored her requests for more security cameras on the strip. “Owners, such as ourselves, have taken initiative at our own expense to get permission from council to put chairs and tables out there and planter boxes which have been constantly destroyed every weekend almost without fail,” she said. “Our efforts to beautify (the street) have gone out the window at great expense to us.” Ms Love said she had approached the City and police with her concerns. “I’ve been to the police and council since the beginning of the year and nothing’s been done, they seem to fob it off,” she said. “Who is going to start taking responsibility for doing something about it?” Also wanting more CCTV cameras on York Street is Elandrial Games owner Matt Honeywill. “In the time that we have had a store on York Street we have seen the results of late-night drinking,” he said. “From damage to the gate leading into Mews Arcade ... to opening the store and finding a large puddle of blood on the ground and the walls to the entrance of our store.” Mr Honeywill has taken the initiative and installed his own security cameras outside his business. City chief executive Andrew Sharpe said there were already security cameras on York Street maintained and serviced by the City and accessible by police. “We are fortunate enough to have 29 cameras in the York Street/Stirling Terrace precinct thanks to successful grant funding applications that ensure community safety is a top priority,” he said. “The City do not attend criminal reports or have authority to arrest citizens, unlike police. Matters of a criminal or antisocial nature are reported to local police and are dealt with under their professional advice and expertise.” In September last year, the owner of Albany’s Blush Retail Gallery made a similar plea for more cameras, saying she was fed up with “violence, vandalism and vomit” in Albany’s CBD. Majuba Bistro, Elandrial Games and Blush Retail Gallery are all on York Street, between Peels Place and Stirling Terrace. Mr Sharpe said there had not been any funding opportunities for more security cameras since September. “The City encourage community members and local business to report any antisocial activity to police so that these potential hot spots can be closely looked at when grant funding becomes available,” he said.