Hoons out of control

By Alesha Capone 

WYNDHAM residents have demanded more police to help crack down on hoon drivers.

Werribee activist Lori McLean, who lives near Princes Highway, said some nights hoons “race down there like it’s a drag strip.”

Ms McLean said other hoon hotspots included Watton St in Werribee, Bellbridge Drive in Hoppers Crossing and Feathertop Drive in Wyndham Vale, although the entire suburb “was pretty bad.”

“Of course you’ve got to have more police. We need more pro-active policing,” she said.

“We had 65 police six years ago and all they’ve done with the new station in Tarneit is split the troops in half, they haven’t given us extras.”

Hoppers Crossing resident Jim Giddings, who is the Wyndham Transport Advisory Committee chairman, said the group has added hoon driving and speeding to their strategic plan, as an issue to tackle this year.

“On Monday at 8am, a car came roaring up my street and did a 360 degree turn. The back wheels were smoking so much they set off my fire alarm,” he said.

Police statistics show that after St Albans, Werribee and Hoppers Crossing are home to Victoria’s biggest hoon population.

Police have confiscated more than 230 vehicles from residents in the area since the state’s anti-hoon laws were introduced.

In addition, Point Cook residents said Dunnings Rd, Palmers Rd and Wallace Avenue were other hoon hotspots.

Glynn Bennett, who lives near Point Cook Rd, said “a larger police presence in the area would be helpful” to reduce hoon driving.

“It happens every day. A day wouldn’t go by when you don’t hear wheels screech,” he said.

“I’ve lived here eight years and it’s definitely getting worse. There’s one after another and then five minutes later there’s another one.

“Often we get guys coming off the freeway and it’s common to have young guys spinning their wheels.”

Ian Muir, from the Point Cook Residents’ Association (PCRA), lives near Wallace Avenue.

“We quite frequently hear hoon driving and occasionally on some of the main roads you might see a new set of burn marks,” he said.

“I hear hoons at least weekly, it can be any night after 10,” said Dan Mumby, who is also from the PCRA.

“Sometimes it wakes us up,” fellow resident Pam Symons said. “We’d always like more police.”

Western region MP Bernie Finn said more police were needed to deal with hoons and he would advocate for more officers in Wyndham.

The State Opposition has promised Victorians 1600 more police officers if they are elected later this year.

The State Government did not respond before Star's deadline.

Star could not speak to officers from Wyndham Police's Traffic Management Unit before deadline.