‘Cocooning’ is a term borrowed from Western Australia, describing the process of warning residents surrounding where a crime has taken place. Usually it will involve Neighbourhood Watch volunteers delivering to residents’ letterboxes materials, such as the ‘Reporting Crime in Ku-ring-gai’ flyer, to encourage residents to report, report, report! Our volunteers take the opportunity to chat with locals about the current issues. Our local Crime Prevention Officer at Ku-ring-gai Police Area Command (PAC) also produces ‘Community Alerts’, which are used following attempted break-ins, steal from cars, parcel theft, etc. These alerts give residents up-to-date knowledge of the crime happening in their area. Residents are thus motivated to ‘target harden’ against the crime, and watch out for suspicious activity.
Danny Houseas, Manager Community Development, Ku-ring-gai Council (01 December 2025):
“Thank you once again for your quick and proactive response to the issues at Nar-rang Reserve. I sincerely appreciate the efforts of Neighbourhood Watch Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby in conducting the letterbox drop, speaking with nearby residents, and installing the NHW bin stickers. Your responsiveness and willingness to support Council’s efforts make a real difference, and it is reassuring for both Council and the local community.
Hopefully these measures will help deter further antisocial behaviour and encourage residents to report incidents directly to police. Thank you also for copying in Senior Constable Gemma Stokes, her involvement is greatly appreciated, and the suggestion around Community Alerts is an excellent option should the issues continue.
Thank you again for your continued partnership and your invaluable contribution to community safety.”
Neighbourhood Watch Ku-ring-gai & Hornsby 