Karl Stefanovic has expressed grave concerns that Australia’s youth crime wave is worsening.
The Today show host revealed juveniles had been captured on CCTV ‘doing things’ at his family home on Sydney’s north shore that he shares with his wife Jasmine and their three-year-old daughter Harper.
Melbourne neighbourhoods have resorted to pooling their money together to pay for 24-7 private security patrols in a desperate effort to keep their homes and families safe.
It comes as homicide detectives launched a manhunt after a teenage boy was stabbed to death at St Albans in the city’s north-west on Monday night.
Elsewhere, three youths have been charged over a string of armed robberies involving Facebook Marketplace in Queensland.
Stefanovic has been vocal in urging authorities to do more to address the crime youth epidemic and became fired up when he spoke out again on Tuesday morning.
He opened up about his own terrifying experience while interviewing private security expert Anthony Schaepman about the crime wave in Melbourne.
Karl Stefanovic (pictured with wife Jasmine) has revealed his family home has been targeted by juvenile criminals
‘Enough is enough,’ the father-of-four said.
‘This has happened to me, happened to my family. ‘I’ve had kids come to my house, doing things. I’ve got them on tape. I know who they are.
‘I have to decide what I’m going to do with it. If I didn’t have that vision, I wouldn’t know what to do, and this would keep on happening and happening because the cops can’t be everywhere at once. It is only relatively minor offences.’
‘But if it is getting to that level for me, it is getting to that level for me. It is getting to that level across the country. We keep having to talk about it and keep saying we’ve got to do something about it, nothing happens.’
He fears youth crime is getting worse as he detailed the tremendous impact it has on families.
‘Whenever the crime comes to their doorstep, whenever someone breaks into their car, whenever something happens that’s close to home, it has a tremendous psychological impact,’ Stefanovic said.
‘That’s the problem here. If people are going to you, then you’re running the risk of vigilante activities happening outside that. That’s my big concern, that’s the big concern for a lot of authorities in various states.’
The home on Sydney ‘s north shore that Stefanovic shares with his wife Jasmine and their three-year-old daughter Harper
A teenage boy was found lying in a St Albans street in Melbourne after being stabbed on Monday night. He died on the way to hospital
‘I don’t understand how authorities can’t see how significant an impact this is having on the day-to-day life of people, law-abiding citizens at home.
‘It’s not stopping and that’s the problem. It is getting worse.’
Stefanovic also spoke out about the problem in Queensland, where three teens aged 15-17 have been charged with 31 offences over a string of armed robberies involving Facebook Marketplace in the state’s south-east.
The Queensland government recently pledged a funding package worth more than $3m to fight the scourge of youth offending.
‘It is a massive problem,’ Stefanovic said.
‘These people come into people’s homes. They’re saying they’re going to buy something, then they’re going to buy something, then they get robbed.’
Karl Stefanovic spoke out about the youth crime crisis after a teenager was stabbed to death in Melbourne overnight (pictured, police at the scene in St Albans)
Stefanovic was astounded to learn families are paying thousands for private security in Melbourne.
‘Crime is something that occurs on a daily basis unfortunately,’ Mr Schaepman explained.
‘We have the police resources that are currently out there in play. They’re doing a brilliant job. At the end of the day, crime is increasing unfortunately, so people are going above and beyond with alternative methods at the moment.
Stefanovic has previously spoken out about youth crime and recently broke down while discussing possible solutions with former Australian Law Council director Bill Potts during an emotional interview.
‘I’m a parent, and if I saw it … and it happened to my kid … I’d want that, whoever it was, locked up forever, at best,’ Stefanovic said.
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