Residents in Parklands have held a community meeting to voice their concerns over youths terrorising locals and causing damage to property.
Chris Lynch Media has recently reported on youths smashing into parked cars at night, and residents chasing two young boys after crashing a stolen car in the neighbourhood.
A Parklands resident who contacted Chris Lynch Media about crime in the suburb believes a combination of bad parenting and drugs is to blame.
“The kids are definitely from drug-fuelled families, this I know for sure, he said.
“They hangout in a big group walking around the area damaging property and when the parents are approached, we are told to piss off.
“In one house the mother was smoking drugs at the door.”
The resident says the youths are violent and threatening to older people in the community.
“The police have been called several times because they have tried stealing groceries from people walking to their cars.
“This is what I’ve seen myself, they’re not just rumours. This is happening all the time.”
The resident said police are made aware of the issues, but have turned a blind eye.
“The kids are soon back on the streets after being apprehended and once their parents stop keeping an eye on them.
“I did see a couple of mothers of the kids involved causing this trouble at the meeting.”
A community meeting, which had representatives from Child, Youth and Family, along with Police, has helped calm the situation in the short term.
“The meeting is a reason the kids are not causing major problems at the moment, but just like last time, give it a couple of weeks and they get bored and back into trouble.”