Leeton has seen a spate of crime that is impacting businesses and residents alike. Over the past month, several businesses have been vandalised and robbed. People spending time with family out of town over the holidays have returned home to find they've become victims of property theft. The community as a whole is being targeted.

With the swell of recent crime, the community is growing uneasy and many are reaching the inevitable conclusion - that we have had enough. There is a growing feeling that people are fearful to leave their homes, worrying about what could occur in their absence.

Many of the people I spoke with over the weekend thought we have a Neighbourhood Watch program. Leeton did until around eight or nine years ago when interest waned, attendance dropped, and the program fell away. The repercussions are clearly being felt now.

Leeton Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Graham Heffer said the Neighbourhood Watch program encouraged communication and support within the community.

“The response has been overwhelming with between 60 and 70 people interested in attending the meeting on the 19^th," Mr Heffer said.

"The response we've received was that this program is both needed and wanted by the community."

"The council is on board and crime prevention officer Mark Roberts is assisting. We need members from each neighbourhood willing to go door to door, to talk to each other and distribute pamphlets and to encourage communication. It's not about being vigilantes, it's about being observant, talking with one another, and working with the police. It’s also about reporting crimes and suspicious activity to police, not just posting it to social media."

If we don't report criminal activity to police, they in turn are unable to do anything about it. That sets a precedent that we as a community tolerate this behaviour. If we don't report crime and suspicious activity to the police, we're effectively saying we are willing to tolerate it and the cycle continues. While there are many factors that drive crime, there is one key aspect that will help reduce it. Much of the crime that we are dealing with is preventable if we are willing to do our part by being observant, assist in reporting crimes and suspicious activity to the police.

On Tuesday at 6pm in the Multi Purpose Community Centre we can show our support by attending the Neighbourhood Watch meeting. It’s an opportunity for you to get involved and to show those intent on doing harm to our community that we are not willing to tolerate it, and as Mr Heffer so aptly put it, enough is enough.