MEDIA RELEASE: New CCTV Cameras in Sydney's hot spots 09.12.2013

For Immediate release:                                         Monday 09th December 2013

 NEW CCTV CAMERAS TO HELP PREVENT VIOLENCE IN SYDNEY ‘HOT SPOTS’

The Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, welcomes today the City of Sydney’s swift action in supporting an additional ten (10) CCTV cameras to be located in the Kings Cross area, the CBD and Surry Hills. They will add to Sydney’s existing 87 Street Safety CCTV cameras.

Since Thomas’ death, Ralph and Kathy Kelly have been strong advocates for additional CCTV cameras in key “hotspot” areas identified across the city and Darlinghurst. 

Thomas’ father Ralph said: “CCTV technology is a well-known detector of criminal behavior and can play an important role in curbing assault and crime.  We believe in its role in early intervention and capturing assailants who are committing a crime.  For our family, the killer of our son was arrested sooner than later due to this technology.  We need to look at all of the options in the prevention of alcohol fuelled violence – CCTV is one of them.  If you want to hit someone then the chances are very high that it will be recorded.”

The NSW Homicide division poured through hundreds of hours of CCTV vision captured on the night of Thomas Kelly’s (18 years) death in Darlinghurst, in July 2012, to piece together the movements of the offender, Kieran Loveridge over the course of that night.  The footage played a pivotal part in providing what was to be crucial evidence in identifying and later apprehending the offender.

Out of the additional 10 new cameras one has been earmarked for Kings Cross, with an additional two cameras on William Street.

Using crime-mapping data supplied by the NSW Police and in consultation with the NSW Police, the City of Sydney identified locations where additional CCTV cameras could assist with the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of offences.

City staff have consulted closely with NSW Police, the Kings Cross Liquor Accord, and the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation.

It is expected that the additional cameras will be programmed for installation throughout 2014.

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Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation