RESIDENTS of Port Stephens are being encouraged to remain vigilant following a series of attempts to break into homes in Nelson Bay and the surrounding area.

On Saturday 11 March police responded to the report of an attempted break-in at the home of Paul Kampoyras.

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Mr Kampoyras and his wife relocated from Sydney to Nelson Bay in 2020 because, as Mr Kampoyras stated, “You never expect Nelson Bay to be a dangerous place.”

At 11:55pm Mr and Mrs Kampoyras received alerts on their smart watches informing them that the external security cameras had registered people approaching the front door of the house.

Mr Kampoyras saw two young men, both wearing hoodies with the strings drawn to conceal their faces, and one brandishing a knife, walking past the cars parked in the driveway and testing the doorknob.

Mrs Kampoyras, who was with her parents downstairs, rushed to ensure that the doors were locked.

Mr Kampoyras stated that he was astounded at how brazen the young men were behaving.

“The lights were on out front and they could see the cameras,” he said.

“They could also see that the lights were on inside the house, so they must have known we were home.”

Mr Kampoyras contacted the police, and then made efforts to warn his neighbours when the perpetrators crossed over to the next property.

Chief Inspector Skelly of Hunter/Port Stephens Police lauded the quick response of the officers from the Home Invasion Task Force, who responded to Mr Kampoyras’ call within ten minutes.

CI Skelly confirmed that a number of individuals have been arrested and charged within the past week in relation to similar occurrences.

Mr Kampoyras shared the security footage on social media so that local residents would be aware of this sort of crime.

While he would remind residents not to confront these intruders, he is concerned for the community because as these bold young men have demonstrated, “You being at home is not a deterrent.”

By Lindsay HALL