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Belmont intersections Perth’s worst for window washers

Matt ZisSouthern Gazette

A SECURITY guard whose personal car was damaged by an aggressive window washer has told Belmont city officials that local intersections are easily Perth’s worst for the illegal activity.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, took his frustration over recent run-ins to a City of Belmont council meeting, categorising a “plague” of lawless young people and describing some of the numerous run-ins he has had in recent weeks.

In one instance, one threw a rock at his car as he drove away.

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“For my job I drive all over Perth but nowhere do I see it like Belmont,” he said.

“We have got a generation growing up and not taking responsibility for their actions.”

Belmont Police this week arrested a teenage window washer and charged him with multiple offences.

The intersection of Great Eastern Highway and Graham Farmer Freeway in Burswood is notorious for window washers, who take advantage of long delays between traffic lights lights to target motorists.

Other major intersections such as Orrong Road and Leach Highway and the Great Eastern and Tonkin Highway junctions are also known hotspots.

While window-washing at intersections has been targeted by police before, many people are surprised to realise that paying for the ‘service’ is also illegal under the Road Traffic Code.

Earlier this year police fined Perth driver Luke Bresland $50 after he gave a window washer $1.50, although the charge was dropped last week.

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Belmont Mayor Phil Marks said the City of Belmont uses electronic roadside signs to warn motorists about the law-breaking risk of paying, but had few powers to deal with the actual washers.

“We have been on the police case a lot,” he said.

“My advice is keep hammering away at the police.

“There’s nothing we can do about your car unfortunately.”

A police spokeswoman said police would act if they receive complaints and cited a one-day crackdown by WA Police in November last year that resulted in four juvenile cautions, two move-on notices and four infringements.

She warned that window washers could be intimidating and aggressive.

Belmont chief executive John Christie said he would encourage council staff to report such illegal activity to police, but stopped short of committing security cars to patrol notorious hotspots at key times of the day, as was suggested by Councillor Lauren Cayoun.

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