Cairns juvenile crime: Far North anti-crime protesters turn up heat on stolen car ‘disgrace’

A group of protesters fed up with the escalating level of juvenile crime have taken to the streets with a novel and pointed form of protest, turning the blowtorch on local politicians.

A GROUP of protesters fed up with the escalating level of juvenile crime have taken to the streets in protest of theescalating situation, turning the blowtorch on local politicians.

Far North anti-crime campaigner Perri Conti and her supporters towed a burnt out car on Tuesday displaying images of Cairns MP Michael Healy, Barron MP Craig Crawford, and Cook MP Cynthia Lui, with slogans like “no bail” and “enough is enough” emblazoned on the rusty wreck.

Meanwhile corflutes across the city blasted “governments, courts and child services” for their perceived failure to protect the community.

Ms Conti said the demonstration, which started in Edmonton and progressed to Palm Cove, was “all about applying pressure.”

With Cairns set to record over 1000 cars stolen in one calendar year, anti crime campaigner Perri Conti has taken a burnt out car, placed it onto a trailer and is driving it around the suburbs of Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

“We want to keep this front and centre because we have all had a gutful,” she said.

“We keep going through waves where it just peaks, and there is no action. It peaks, and then there is nothing.

“We just can’t understand and we’ve all had enough.”

It comes as Cairns has recorded a shameful 1015 stolen cars this year, a statistic described as “a disgrace” by Ms Conti.

She claims to have witnessed her first stolen car incident “with my own eyes” at a roundabout on Pease Street on Monday night.

She reported it to police.

Anti-crime advocates Humphrey Hollins and Perri Conti also erected protest corflutes outside the Cairns Court House complex on Sheridan St last week, demanding action on youth crime from the state government. Picture: Peter Carruthers

“It was frightening,” she said.

“I thought they were going to roll the car, they undercut people on the roundabout. I called triple-0 and I was that shocked.

“They are going to kill someone. These kids have got no fear.”

Ms Conti launched a petition in August appealing for youth crime law reform, with breach of bail laws at its core.

She said drastic action needed to be taken, calling for leadership from the state government.

“We think the problem can be easily fixed. It’s either they don’t want to fix it, they can’t fix it, or too many people will lose jobs over it,” she said.

“They need to have consequences for their actions, so no bail.”

With Cairns set to record over 1000 cars stolen in one calendar year, anti crime campaigner Perri Conti has taken a burnt out car, placed it onto a trailer and is driving it around the suburbs of Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

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Originally published as Cairns juvenile crime: Far North anti-crime protesters turn up heat on stolen car ‘disgrace’