New Lambton homes looted after residents forced to leave due to landslip

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a day ago

Residents forced to abandon their homes after a landslip in Newcastle last month have been left feeling "helpless" as looters target the unoccupied dwellings.
Fifteen properties were evacuated after a landslip near Russell Road in New Lambton on May 23 following heavy rain in the region.
Almost five weeks later, residents are still unable to return home, as geotechnical engineers carry out assessments.
Leonie Morgan is one of 39 affected residents and believes her home was one of the first to be looted.
"We were allowed to go in and check on the property and my husband phoned me and said, 'We've been burgled, everything valuable is gone,'" she said.
Ms Morgan said the family had lost items with huge sentimental value.
"They took my grandmother's pearls I'd inherited.
"Basically, [they took] every bit of jewellery I ever had."
Ms Morgan said, after speaking with neighbours, they found out at least two other properties had also been burgled.
Ms Morgan said despite her home now being boarded up with wooden panels, it appeared another break-in had been attempted.
"Our door was found partially kicked in," she said.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, police arrested a 28-year-old man who was allegedly found running from one of the unoccupied properties.
Police say a subsequent search of the man allegedly revealed bank cards, perfume bottles, electronics, watches, and other jewellery items believed to have been stolen.
He was charged with a range of offences, including breaking and entering, and granted conditional bail.
David, who asked to be identified only by his first name, is another resident whose home has been ransacked in recent weeks.
He told ABC Newcastle that security services, which residents were told the council had engaged to protect their homes, had failed.
"If council has deployed security, we'd like to know where and when they're operating, because we haven't seen them and they haven't reported any of the break-ins," David said.
In a statement, the Newcastle Council said most residents had been able to access their homes at least twice to retrieve essential belongings.
It said affected residents should continue to engage directly with their insurer regarding claims to private property.
For the past five weeks, Ms Morgan has been living in a hotel with her four children.
"I've got a 22-year-old son and he is most distressing to deal with because he's category-three autistic," she said.
"So this is just something he can't even comprehend … and I don't have anywhere else for him to go. We feel helpless.
Ms Morgan said her most recent update from council was that the assessment by geotechnical engineers that was underway would take at least two months.
In a statement, a Newcastle Council spokesperson said it was now seeking the support of the NSW Reconstruction Authority to lead the recovery response.