Crime drop
Geelong crime has decreased eight per cent overall in the 12 months to March, according to latest Crime Statistics Agency Victoria data.
Assaults and drug offences increased but sex assaults, burglaries and thefts were down, yesterday’s data-release revealed.
New park
A new park will appear on a “long-disused” part of Geelong’s waterfront, City Hall has announced.
The redevelopment of the former Western Beach boat yard would retain some of the 3000-square-metre site’s historic features including original boats, City Hall said.
Burglary spate
Three young males have committed four burglaries within 12 hours in the “immediate area” of Bell Park’s Separation St, according to police.
The burglaries included the theft of $350 from a register and “numerous vapour oil products” after the trio smashed a glass front door of VAPE 4 Life around 2.26am Wednesday, police said.
Storages rising
More rain over the past week has continued driving the region’s water storage levels upward, according to official measurements.
Barwon Water recorded the storages up almost two per cent in the seven days to Wednesday, with 19mm of rain over the period leaving the overall capacity level at 37.5 per cent.
Thieves return
Thieves have stolen a $27,000 ute from a North Geelong business but failed to also take a caravan when they returned later the same night, according to police.
Two unknown males unscrewed fencing at Duoro St’s Market Direct Campers to steal the Isuzu D-Max ute around 11pm on 13 May, police alleged.
Graffiti ‘stamped’
Geelong’s council will produce online “infomercials” on how to remove graffiti after receiving a $28,000 grant from State Government, MP Christine Couzens has announced.
The initiative would include council developing a new website to screen the advice as part of a state push for property-owners to “stamp out graffiti crime”, she said,
Ute seized
Police have impounded a Commodore ute after catching a driver at 108km/h in a 50 zone at Breakwater.
The 35-year-old driver, from St Albans Park, also faced a court appearance for his alleged speeding along Tanner road on Wednesday morning, police said.
Table’s tops
“The superstars of world table tennis” will return to Geelong for one of the sport’s six world tour Platinum Series events, City Hall has announced.
July’s Australian Open at The Arena followed Geelong’s “successful debut” hosting the event in 2018, City Hall said.
Moral fibre
Deakin fibre scientists have developed a new textile for car interiors, in a bid to solve the automotive industry’s “need” for affordable, sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, the university announced yesterday.
Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) researchers worked with Ford scientists to create the textile, using virgin and waste wool fibres along with non-woven and fibre powder technology.
