Police charge two for vandalism and theft from Petes Place
Two teens have been charged after a late night crime spree through Palm Cove including the “horrific” vandalism of a well-known takeaway store and destruction of a park shelter. See the pictures.
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Two teens have been charged after a late night crime spree through Palm Cove including the “horrific” vandalism of a well-known takeaway store and destruction of a park shelter.
Petes Place Palm Cove was targeted for the third time in two months in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Petes Place manager Flick Jordan said it took a major effort to clean up the damage.
“It was a bit of a horror show,” she said.
“They acted like a bunch of twatty teenagers, everything has been smashed onto the floor, they ripped open chips and chocolate through the entire store and bunches of eggs were smashed all over the floor.
“Now we’re looking to put in big chunks of wood to keep them out, we can’t keep replacing the glass, it costs over $1000 every time.
“They took a bunch of deodorant cans and were setting fire to them in the park and that’s the thing that brought it to the fireys’ attention.”
Smithfield officers were notified by a member of the public about the fire in a park at Palm Cove before police arrived at Williams Esplanade and located six teens.
Police allege the youths were in possession of a large quantity of property including food, drinks, cigarette lighters, torches, clothing, cigarettes, jewellery, cash, tools, two knives and an axe.
Ms Jordan said it was the third time in the past two months the store had been broken into.
“We have to make it look like Fort Knox and it’s disappointing that we finally have people here for the holidays and we are spending all our revenue on the stuff they keep breaking.”
Police linked the destruction of a gazebo and a fire at Tom McDonald Park with the earlier break-in and theft from Petes Place.
It’s alleged the business was broken into, food thrown around and property damaged, before a quantity of property was stolen earlier in the evening.
Detectives from the Smithfield Criminal Investigation Branch charged two 15-year-old boys on Saturday, each with one count each of enter and commit, light an unauthorised fire, possess knife and two counts of wilful damage.
Investigations are ongoing, anyone with information is urged to contact police and quote this reference number: QP2401139080.
Originally published as Police charge two for vandalism and theft from Petes Place
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