A BAYSIDE volunteer has been recognised as the Crime Stoppers Volunteer of the Year as the law enforcement and crime prevention charity celebrated its 35th anniversary last month.
Upon retiring five years ago, Robert Plumber started volunteering with Crime Stoppers and has since become chairperson of the Brisbane Bayside committee.
“I had retired, I was living in a community, and I wanted to keep that community safe,” Mr Plumber said.
He has overseen many projects in that time, focusing on renewing signage in all schools in the area; promoting e-safety through events and forums, particularly with the elderly; and expanding Crime Stoppers throughout the Southern Moreton Bay Islands.
He recounted one e-safety forum in 2023 that made a significant impact on one attendee, who realised she was the victim of a romance scam.
“We were presenting about how insidious these things are and how they worked, and I guess she realised that that’s what she was in,” Mr Plumber said.
“We were able to convince that person to talk to her family and then the scam stopped.
“It’s a great thing to be able to make a difference in at least one person’s life; it gives me a lot of pride and encouragement to keep doing what we’re doing.”
Crime Stoppers’ 35th anniversary gala event last month saw a clean sweep of the three major awards for the Brisbane Bayside region.
Not only did Mr Plumber win 2024 Volunteer of the Year, but his Brisbane Bayside team won Volunteer Area Committee of the Year, and local police officer Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Hebblethwaite won Police Representative of the Year.
“That gives me a lot of pride that what we were doing was judged by our peers as pretty good,” Mr Plumber said humbly.
Crime Stoppers Queensland CEO David Hansen said Robert’s dedication extended well beyond his volunteer hours.
“Through his efforts, Robert has amplified the Crime Stoppers message, fostering a strong foundation of trust and community action that truly sets him apart as a standout volunteer in 2024,” Mr Hansen said.
Crime Stoppers Brisbane Bayside is hosting its next community safety presentation on Friday, November 22 at the Russell Island Recreation Hall from 6pm in a collaboration with Queensland Police Service and Redland City Council.
A second event, a QPS Home Security forum, is planned for Thursday, December 5, again at the Russell Island Recreation Hall from 6pm.
Email [email protected] or visit Crime Stoppers Brisbane Bayside SMBI events on Facebook for details.
Do you know a local volunteer or member of the community who deserves a shoutout? Email us know at [email protected].
