Crime appears to be gathering momentum in suburbs throughout the Hunter, and residents are being pushed to think about taking it into their own hands to deal with it.
Neighbourhood Watch is a term we've all grown up hearing about, but as time has gone on it appears to have all but disappeared.
Hunter Area Coordinator of Neighbourhood Watch Bill Hackney is teaming up with Maitland West Ward Councillor Henry Meskauskas to resurrect the program and organise a public forum to gauge the community's interest.
Bill says the population of Aberglassyn alone has grown 40 per cent since the 2007and with that crime increases as well.
In Rutherford in just the last month, there were nine break and enter offences, 34 reports of malicious damage and 50 thefts among other crimes.
"The Hunter is growing at a rate of 5 new people moving into the suburb everyday and the crime we're experiencing in Maitland the hunter region I don't think there's enough [police] to combat the increase in crime," said Bill.
"It's always been there [Neighbourhood Watch], it's just been asleep for many years. Last year Neighbourhood Watch Australasia launched a nationally recognised Neighbourhood Watch week in October which will happen again this year getting the name back out there so we're realised that neighbourhood watch isn't what it was 30 years ago - it needs to change."
Bill is also on the advisory board for NSW Police in Paramatta which is helping work towards resurrecting the program for the 21st century. He says in an age of social media and technology, Neighbourhood Watch would be more effective and easier than ever.
A date for the public forum is yet to be decided upon.
