crime wave

Adelaide in fear of violent crime wav. -heraldsun.com.au/news-Chief-Insp Osborn said he understood community concern but most offenders were arrested quickly.

"We acknowledge these are very significant crimes and the community is concerned but these are isolated incidents," he said.

Chief-Supt Osborn said police numbers on patrol and information gathering was "not an issue".

The violent crimes in the in past five weeks include:

CALLINGTON woman Pirjo Kemppainen, 63, who was beaten and stabbed to death. Two boys, 14, have been charged with her murder.

ARMED robber Paul James Quinn, who was killed at Forestville in a shootout with STAR Group police officers.

A GUNMAN'S attempt to shoot New Boys gang boss Vince Focarelli in a shopping mall.

A YOUTH, 17, who was partially paralysed when shot twice in his neck in Hindley St. A woman, 45, a man, 41, and the youth, 17, are charged with attempted murder.

MORE than 100 African men, who were involved in a city brawl in which four people were stabbed. Four men face charges.
The murder of pensioner Beverly Hanley, 64, on Wednesday is the latest to shock the community and Major Crime detectives are searching for her killer.

It's one of eight violent incidents in just five weeks which have alarmed police.

However, Chief Superintendent Tom Osborn said the chances of being a victim of violence was "really very slight" despite the public thinking otherwise. On Monday, an AdelaideNow poll showed 78 per cent of 403 respondents did not feel safe in the city after dark.

Victims of Crime Commissioner Michael O'Connell said statistics often hid the human impact.

"The critical issue is with each crime a person is hurt physically, psychologically or emotionally and that's often hidden in the debate on statistics," he said. The latest statistics show attacks against people have fallen 2.9 per cent in the past financial year.