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Building bridges National Reconciliation Week was welcomed by art and dancing in Cardinia Shire as the community gathered to “bridge now to next.” On Tuesday, Cardinia Shire Council held a celebration of shared histories and cultures on Wurundjeri Land at Worrell Reserve in Emerald. The event included a smoking ceremony accompanied by a performance from Djirri Djirri Dancers. The occasion also opened a new exhibition at the Hills Hub, yearnjenong (barefoot) by Wurundjeri, Dja Dja Wurrung artist Sam Richards. STORY PAGE 4
Azura from Djirri Djirri dance group delights the crowd (479624
Forced to guard By Afraa Kori A newly-built home in Officer’s Carrington Estate has been targeted in a series of brazen break-ins, just days before the owners were due to move in. Police understand the property, which is under construction, has been broken into on three separate occasions between November 2024 and May 2025. The most recent incidents occurred within days of each other, with owner Kevin Hamill’s property first broken into around 5.30am on Sunday, 25 May, followed by a second break-in at 10.30pm on Tuesday, 27 May, during which significant damage was reported.
“Last night they’ve now caused a lot of damage and we ended up sleeping at the house in our sleeping bags in case they decided to come back,” Kevin said. “I just put in an alarm on Monday just without the large siren. Alarm went off, spot lights turned on and they didn’t give a shit. “The worst is that the insurance won’t pay for such small claims so it’s the builders and clients that need to bear these costs and the criminals still lurking about.” Police say a number of tools have been taken, along with a sleeping bag and ironing board. The owners, who currently live in Narre War-
ren, are now sleeping on-site at the Officer property and planning to move in earlier in a bid to protect it from further attacks. Kevin believes “crime rate has excelled especially on building sites” and the recent break-ins are indicative of a broader crime issue. “We had six break ins on this particular job, and many other jobs have had thievery,” he said. “Throughout this construction, we’ve had 6 breaking and entering. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s costing us time, money, and making us incredibly unsafe.” Kevin hopes local government and law enforcement will improve crime prevention by in-
stalling more public street cameras and increasing community involvement in reporting crime. While he sees some value in Neighbourhood Watch raising awareness, he believes greater exposure of offenders and the use of small, solarpowered CCTV cameras could better assist police investigations and deter future criminal activity. “Gaps definitely need to be filled,” he said. “This hasn’t stopped them, there needs to be more done to give these sorts of criminals exposure.” Police confirmed they are investigating the series of break-ins and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. ADVERTISEMENT
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