Hoons are street racing alongside MacPherson Park in Melton – and locals are frustrated and fearful.
One Kurunjang resident, who wants to remain anonymous, said hoons gathered at the park on Coburns Road at least once a week to race.
The resident said that from outside his home he could hear the cars, with loud engines and exhausts, taking off at high speed.
“At that entry to MacPherson Park, you wouldn’t be able to find a square inch of bitumen that doesn’t have burn-out marks,” he said. “It’s blatantly obvious to anyone who drives along that road – and it’s a major road – that people are racing.
“There’s no question that police would be aware of what’s going on.”
The resident is urging Melton council and police to amp up their patrols of the area and stamp out the hooning.
He says he’s worried about the safety of innocent bystanders or drivers who inadvertently cross paths with the hoons.
“What’s going on isn’t posing any danger to me directly,” he said. “But these kind of people are driving in unsafe manners at all times all over Melton.”
Melton council recreation and youth manager Troy Scoble said officers had been working with Victoria Police to increase patrols in the area and had installed bollard boom gates to restrict access to the park after 10pm.
But he said the best way to deter anti-social behaviour is for the park to be used.
“Council is focused on activating the park with sport, passive recreation opportunities and a number of other social and community programs,” Mr Scoble said.
“This activation will increase the public surveillance of the park and its facilities, further reducing opportunities for poor behaviour to take place.”
Melton council recently applied for federal government funding for a major redevelopment of the park, include infrastructure upgrades.
Melton Highway Patrol Sergeant Chris Stuhldreier said police were committed to stamping out hooning, but needed public help to identify the offenders.
“If people are able to record any of the events via their phone or closed-circuit TV cameras that would help,” Sergeant Stuhldreier said.
“We’re also appealing to the public to help identify when these events are going to happen.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000 or Melton police on 9747 7999.
