Calls for vigilance as home, business break-ins rise
‘We also can’t keep going on at the victim all the time.’
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MORE than 150 property break-ins were reported last month, with police concerned the numbers will continue to rise.
Despite extensive proactive measures being rolled out across the Mackay district, police are struggling to reduce the number of home and business break and enters.
Official figures show 156 unlawful entry offences were reported in August this year, a sizeable increase from 103 reported in July.
The August figures are the second highest in the past 12 months, just shy of the peak of 169 unlawful entry offences reported in November last year.
“What we are still seeing is what are for me uncomfortable numbers of break and enter into houses, shops, businesses,” Detective Acting Inspector Mick Searle said.
“We’ve done a lot of work in that regard with our property crime task force, our tactical crime squad, the Child Protection Investigation Unit have all made significant arrests in our juvenile offender cohort and with our adult property offenders recently.
“We have issues in the inner city around Mackay itself and around the north, south, east and West Mackay areas, but it also moves out to Andergrove and the Pioneer Valley.
“We’ve reinforced the message many times for people to harden their houses as much as they can with their keys and their security, but we also can’t keep going on at the victim all the time.
“I think people are trying as hard as they can so we’ve got to try and focus ourselves on the other aspects of the community who are watching, who are seeing things, who are reporting that information back … so that we can holistically, community wise, try and tackle the problem because we’re not going to police our way out of it.”
These are some of the home and business break and enters reported to police in August.
Stolen car linked to business break-in
A CAR stolen from a South Mackay home late last month was recovered dumped on a dirt road in East Mackay two days later.
The vehicle was stolen from Scott St between 8.30pm Friday, August 28, and 5am the next day when an unknown person broke into the home and searched a bedroom.
Among items stolen from the home were the car’s keys, as well as a service medal, prescription glasses and medication.
Police said the keys were taken from a wardrobe inside the main bedroom.
The silver 2014 Subaru Impreza was found dumped on Illawong Dr on Monday.
The vehicle’s paintwork was scratched all over the car, and damage was done to a fog light and the front rear and bumper bar.
The owner has taken recovery of the vehicle.
The vehicle has been linked to the smash and grab break-in of a North Mackay business about 2.20am Sunday.
Police said the glass sliding door of the Evans Ave business was smashed and two people ransacked the premises before stealing a “quantity of cash”.
Security footage captured the Subaru hatchback out the front of the business, and is believed to be the getaway vehicle the two people used to flee the store.
Robbed while sleeping
AN ANDERGROVE resident was robbed as they slept as an intruder slipped through an unlocked door and searched the home.
Police have turned to the public for information to help solve the burglary of the Celeber Dr home which occurred sometime between 9pm Monday, August 31, and 9.30am the next day.
Initial investigations indicated the burglar got inside the home through a rear screen and glass sliding door that was closed but not locked.
“Once inside the home, the thief entered the bedroom and stole a mobile phone and speaker as the resident was asleep,” police said.
“Nothing else was stolen.”
Home burglary
TWO men tried to force their way into a locked East Mackay unit remain at large, with police appealing for help from the public.
The attempted home burglary at the Kirribilli Ave home was reported earlier this week, with investigations finding two men tried to get inside sometime between 2pm Sunday, August 30, and 11am Monday, August 31.
One of the men police believe to be involved had “access to multiple keys” that were used to gain entry through the locked front door.
Police said nothing was stolen.
Originally published as Calls for vigilance as home, business break-ins rise