Roller shutters in Subiaco

Burglaries in Subiaco dropped from 112 in 2021 to 54 in 2025, a fall of 51.8%. Go back to 2017 and the count was 162, so the longer run points the same way. Motor vehicle thefts followed a similar path, from 26 in 2021 to 13 in 2025.

The 2025 count works out at 5.4 burglaries for every 1,000 residents. The rate across metropolitan Perth is 4.0, so Subiaco is still above it even after the drop.

Roller shutters are a physical barrier on windows and doors. Wound down, they make forced entry slower and noisier. They work alongside the deadlocks, security screens and sensor lighting covered in WA Police home security advice rather than in place of them.

The 2021 Census counted 4,482 occupied private dwellings in Subiaco. 41.7% were flats or apartments, 38.8% were separate houses (the Greater Perth figure is 77.8%) and 19.3% were semi-detached, terrace or townhouses. Home ownership is 52.8%, compared with 70.4% for Greater Perth. Landgate records that the land in the suburb was first developed by the government in 1885.

For a separate house, residential roller shutters suit bedroom windows and sliding doors. Where a flat or townhouse sits in a strata scheme, the default by-laws mean the strata company must give written consent before an owner keeps anything visible from outside the lot that is out of keeping with the rest of the building. Landgate adds that strata approval is in addition to any council approval, so sort out both before the measure.

Balconies and courtyards suit outdoor blinds: Ziptrak, Slidetrack, cafe and motorised blinds. About 15.1% of Subiaco's land is commercial or industrial, and shop owners can ask about commercial roller shutters, keeping in mind the heritage area guidance below.

Under the state planning rules, shutters on a single house need no development approval when three things are true: the R-Codes apply, the work meets their deemed-to-comply provisions, and the house is not heritage protected. A place on a local heritage list or inside a heritage area counts as heritage protected, so in Subiaco that last test carries weight.

The City of Subiaco has ten heritage areas, among them the Kershaw Street, Duke Street, Kings Road and Park Street heritage areas and the Rokeby Road and Hay Street Conservation Area. The City says that for a place on its Heritage List or in a heritage area, development approval is generally required for most works. Its guidelines for listed places add that aluminium security screens and other heavy style screens are generally unacceptable, though treatments with minimal visual impact may be acceptable. For new development and additions to non-contributory buildings with frontages to Rokeby Road and Hay Street, the heritage area guidelines say roller doors, shutters or grilles are generally discouraged.

Seniors Card holders can use the WA Seniors Card Safety and Security Rebate, which covers security window screens or window shutters up to $400 per household. With 19.2% of residents aged 65 and over, it is worth checking before you order.