Perth Voice Interactive

CCTV has been rolled out on Beaufort Street, with 47 cameras installed along its length.

The cash came from a $184,000 WA government proceeds of crimes grant.

The coppers helped pick the best spots for the cameras. It’s hoped they’ll help cut down vandalism and biffo, and perhaps even the murder of trees.

“CCTV might not prevent that, but it’ll help us follow it up.”

Vincent mayor John Carey says “we have a community that really cares and has been trying to improve the streetscape, and we’ve had yobbos who are being destructive, vandalising, and destroying trees.

“CCTV might not prevent that, but it’ll help us follow it up.”

Existing CCTV has provided police an image of a man armed with a screwdriver who robbed a woman on Beaufort Street in March.

While violent crime on the street is more rare than on other hotspots, petty vandals pouring out of pubs have been a big problem. Over 18 months 70 trees were killed by vandals, costing $50,000.

Over the next few weeks the council will try to find enough cash to install CCTV in Leederville.

In February the Voice reported the council had lost $200,000 of federal crime-fighting funds following the election of the Abbott government.

by DAVID BELL