Cairns cars stolen: Budget Direct insurance research reveals Far North theft comparison
New analysis has revealed proportionately more vehicles were stolen in Cairns than anywhere else in Queensland. How the figures compare.
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WHAT thousands of Far North car theft victims already knew has been confirmed by insurance data revealing proportionately more vehicles were stolen in Cairns than anywhere else in Queensland.
A total of 4.4 cars were stolen in Cairns for every 1000 vehicles registered making the city the second worst for car ripoffs in the country behind the NSW town of Wollongong, according to Budget Direct’s latest road safety guide.
Without factoring in the number of cars on the road the study found Cairns had the fourth highest theft rate in Queensland with 936 cars stolen in 2021, behind Brisbane, Gold Coast and Townsville.
Based on skyrocketing theft rates in 2022 culminating in 818 thefts do date this year a 12 month total cited by Budget Direct in 2021 is on track to be blown out of the water.
Disturbing police figures reveal there was 104 stolen cars, 338 break and enters and 220 assaults across the Cairns Local Government Area in the past month.
Opposition police spokesman Dale Last described the last 30 days as “a month of crime madness” as residents face a new reality that they are now more likely to be a victim of crime in Cairns than Brisbane, despite the significant population difference.
“These new police figures show the state government is losing the war on crime,” he said.
“Behind every stolen car or small business robbery there is a victim. A hardworking Queenslander who has to pay the price for the state government’s crime failures.
“Local Labor MPs and the Youth Justice Minister are choosing to pretend everything is OK to save their political skin instead of working for the people they represent.
“Far North Queenslanders deserve better.”
A breakdown of a day in Cairns during the past month reveals, on average, three cars are stolen, 11 break and enters are committed, seven people are assaulted and 14 thefts are perpetrated.
Beyond Cairns on the Atherton Tablelands Mareeba is under siege from car thieves, vandals and robbers, closer to home the indigenous community of Yarrabah has not been immune.
On Wednesday indigenous leaders pleaded for additional youth bail support officers and a reinstating of pulled PCYC funding to engage a small cohort of problem youth terrorising the town.
But Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard insisted youth offenders are being held accountable for their actions.
“There are no quick fixes for youth crime – it requires a range of responses,” she said.
“In the community of Yarrabah, youth justice staff are working with young offenders to help ensure they fulfil the conditions of their court orders.
“As part of our efforts to reduce motor vehicle offending, the department runs a program called ROAD which targets young people who have stolen cars.”
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