Tina Bailey waited on hold for more than 30min after her elderly mother-in-law, Pat Youthed, had rocks thrown through her window.
Now she says she will be “much more selective”, depending on the situation, as to whether she calls 105 again.
Mrs Bailey called the number as Mrs Youthed’s life wasn’t in immediate danger, but said the response she received was “pathetic.”
“The initial call taker transferred me through to another number (I still don’t know who) and I sat on the line for 30min waiting for someone to answer.
"I hung up and phoned back. This time the call taker said she’d check if there had been other reports, and as there had been, said she’d arrange for a patrol car to cruise the area.
“This was a good 30min delay if the first person had done that, they could have caught them and prevented further damage,” Mrs Bailey said.
Rocks being smashed through windows has been an ongoing problem in the suburbs of Bishopdale, Casebrook and Northcote, with 12 similar reports being made recently.
At least two elderly people who live alone - including a 94-year-old - have been victims.
Mrs Bailey completed an online ‘Expression of Dissatisfaction’ complaint to police about her experience.
A spokeswoman said police have tried to reach Mrs Bailey about the complaint three times.
She said there were no lines of inquiry to identify the offender/s and the matter was filed, pending any new information.
Mrs Bailey said she still hasn’t been able to discuss the complaint after leaving three voice messages with police.
She was initially told she could make a complaint through the Independent Police Complaints Authority, which she thought “seemed a little extreme.”
She felt her mother-in-law's community had been let down.
“The community doesn’t really have the same involvement (with police) as it used to.
Mrs Youthed, who is terminally ill, said she was “petrified” after the two incidents, which happened within weeks of each other.
She was required to make her first-ever insurance claim, which cost her a $570 excess.
