POLICE and Crime Stoppers launched another Dob in a Dealer campaign in Bendigo on Friday, hoping to build on the success of the campaign in late 2014.
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From May 6 to 20, Crime Stoppers will target Bendigo to gather information about local drug dealers, with a strong focus on ice.
The last Dob in a Dealer campaign, in November 2014, saw a 375 per cent increase in drug-related reports to Crime Stoppers in Bendigo, resulting in criminal proceedings for drug trafficking.
Bendigo police Acting Superintendent Peter Greaney said addressing drug-related crime would have flow on effects for other types of offending.
“We know as police, and we know as a community, that one of the major drivers of crime in the area is illicit drug use,” he said.
“Obviously drug users need to fund their habits, so through property crime and other crime they do this.
“A one-off call may not assist, but if we get multiple calls around a similar house from different sources, then that is put together to build a picture in regards to what is going on.”
The campaign is being rolled out across Australia. Representatives from Bendigo’s five Neighbourhood Watch groups attended the launch at the Bendigo Police Station.
Dealers have increasingly been drawn to mobile phone applications which promise privacy, encryption and self-deleting messages, such as Wickr and Snapchat – a trend picked up by police investigators.
Acting Superintendent Greaney said police had the resources to keep track of techniques used by those selling drugs in the community.
“Victoria Police has to keep up with advancing technology as well, so we’re aware of that and we conduct our investigations around those types of activities as well,” he said.
“We certainly have the investigative techniques to deal with the problem.”
He described Bendigo’s ice problem as similar to other regional centres like Ballarat, but not as large as the problem facing police in Geelong.
Crime Stoppers communications co-ordinator Chris Plumridge said local knowledge could be crucial in catching dealers – whether it was a suspicious vehicle or other unusual behaviour.
“You guys know best what’s out of sorts for your local area. You’ll know what’s out of the ordinary for your local area,” he said.
“There’s no limit on the size of information that Crime Stoppers will get, there will be a person on the other end of the phone to take your information anonymously.”
To Dob in a Dealer, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
