Police and academics have shut down fears that have stopped some local residents from reporting crime.
According to the Rochedale South Neighbourhood Crime Watchers (RSNCW), residents in one of the area’s more affluent estates refuse to report local crime to the authorities over fears high crime rates will impact house prices.
RSNCW founder Damion Douglass said residents of the community, which is patrolled regularly by members of the RSNCW group, were divided and worried.
“I understand the house price concern, but it is just not logical. I mean, crime is going to spread anyway if crime is out of control,” Mr Douglass said.
“In the patrols that we’ve done over the last three days, we have seen four stolen vehicles in that particular community that we’ve reported to the police.”
Mr Douglass said the community was angered that the patrollers reported the thefts, citing concerns it would bring more crime to the area.
One local academic has refuted the community’s logic, warning that not reporting crime could lead to long-term negative consequences.
Mortgage broker and Griffith University economics professor Whitley Bejah acknowledged crime rates were an important consideration for potential buyers.
However, she said house prices were determined by a more complex range of factors than crime.
“In regions like Logan, we observe pockets or ‘clusters’ where crime rates are elevated -especially in relation to theft and drug offences. While such crime trends can influence local property values, especially violent or repeated property-related offences, they are seldom the primary drivers of house price movements,” she said.
“Indeed, many lower socioeconomic areas have recorded notable capital growth in recent years despite relatively high crime rates.”
Ms Bejah said not reporting crimes in an effort to protect property values was potentially counter-productive.
“While under-reporting may temporarily reduce visibility of criminal activity, it can have long-term negative consequences for community safety, local policing resources, and trust in institutions.
“Moreover, transparency and accurate reporting are essential for addressing the root causes of crime and improving neighbourhood conditions.”
A spokesperson from the Queensland Police Service (QPS) encouraged all members of the community to report crime and suspicious behaviour – no matter the circumstances.
“Accurate reporting ensures police have the best information to target crime trends, allocate resources effectively and work with the community to improve safety outcomes,” he said.
“Concerns about perceptions of crime or property values should never outweigh the importance of community safety. Not reporting crime can lead to missed opportunities to prevent offences and hold offenders accountable.”
The spokesperson said unreported crimes could contribute to misinformation and unnecessary anxiety – “particularly when speculation on social media increases”.
Last month, the RSNCW crew reported 80 confirmed incidents of crime across all the suburbs it patrols.
Â
