The Alice Springs community is rallying behind a local who had his home turned upside down by thieves while he was having heart surgery in Darwin. See the heartbreaking photos here.
A $14.2 million security package will be rolled out to fund more police, security guards and liquor inspectors across Alice Springs. The two-year funding package will add 30 police officers, 21 liquor inspectors and 10 security guards. The roll out is to help tackle crime, keeping children and women safe and to support young people in the community. Payments are set to begin next month.
A GoFundMe has been created by Blade Davies-Roundhill to raise funds for local identity “Sammy the Can Man” after his home was ransacked by thieves a few weeks ago.
“Sam suffered a heart attack three weeks ago and was admitted in to Alice Springs hospital where he was waiting to be transferred to Darwin for surgery, he was eventually flown to Darwin via the Royal Flying Doctor Service where he had surgery and is recovering slowly,” it reads.
“While Sam is laid up in hospital very unwell, people have decided to break into his unit and steal and smash everything of value.
The damage to the windows at the Alice Springs residence of a man whose home was broken into while he was receiving heart surgery in Darwin. Picture: Action for Alice.
The damage to the interior of the home, the fundraiser says “all the things Sam had of sentimental and monetary value have been stolen or smashed”. Picture: Action for Alice.
“The place looks like its been hit by a tornado and there seems to be blood and other bodily fluids all over the place including on his bed.
“All the things Sam had of sentimental and monetary value have been stolen or smashed.”
Images show drawers strewn open with medical supplies and glass littering the floor.
Money raised in the GoFundMe will go towards repairing the damage to ‘Sammy the Can Man”s home. Picture: GoFundMe.
“Any help will be appreciated in helping Sam be able to come home to a liveable environment,” Mr Davies-Roundhill wrote.
Th GoFundMe had raised $1,930 of its $10,00 target on Thursday afternoon.
It comes after police statistics reveal there were 216 property offences, 159 acts to cause injury, and 250 public order offences last week alone in the Northern Territory.
The statistics follow a horror month of property crimes in Alice Springs in January, where every hour a new Alice Springs home or business became a victim of property crime.