Cairns crime: TikTok user Jade Morris shares Bentley Park break-in video
A Cairns social media influencer with 140,000 followers has become a victim of the city’s crime epidemic for a fourth time, returning home to find every room ransacked and her Christmas presents ripped open.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A CAIRNS social media influencer with 140,000 TikTok followers has become a victim of the city’s crime epidemic for a fourth time, returning home to find every room ransacked and her Christmas presents ripped open.
On Friday, disability support worker Jade Morris arrived at her Bentley Park home to find her possessions strewn across the floor, Christmas gifts ripped open and her pet cavoodle Sassy cowering in the corner of the room.
Bizarrely, and despite the destruction, the thieves only took some of Ms Morris’s Caramello Koala chocolates.
It’s the fourth break the 27-year-old has endured at four separate Cairns properties since 2018.
Sharing an emotional video to her followers on TikTok, Ms Morris fumed.
“This is the last thing I f**king need,” she said.
“It was every room, every cupboard was tipped out on the floor and it was completely trashed.
“It’s just not fair.”
Ms Morris said her home was one in a string of properties to be targeted in the area in what she described as a “cash grab.”
“My neighbour was distraught,” she said.
“It was (three) houses in my street, they have broken into the houses on the backstreet and then crowbarred their way in through the back doors.
“The neighbour was saying her money was taken so I think it was a dash for cash.”
The James Cook University social work student, preparing for an upcoming trip to India, was frustrated that she had fallen victim to Cairns property offenders responsible for 514 unlawful entry crimes in the past 30 days.
According to police data, 4714 unlawful entry offences have been committed in the past 12 months within the Cairns local government area, accounting for a massive 87 per cent increase on the 2511 offences recorded in the previous 12 months.
“It’s ridiculous, you see it on crime pages every week, I feel like everyone knows someone that has had their car stolen,” she said.
“I think people have had enough.”
While nothing was taken other than the chocolates, the invasion of Ms Morris’ home had impacted her wellbeing.
“And whilst nothing valuable was taken this time, I feel I should have the right to leave my house and feel confident nothing will get taken while I’m away,” she said.
“This morning I was going to the gym. I had this feeling of ‘is this going to happen again and are they going to come back’.”
Ms Morris said her TikTok family had been an amazing support.
“There has been a lot of comments, it has hundreds of thousands of views and people are saying they have experienced the same thing and people are giving me advice on what to do going forward,” she said.
According to police initial investigations indicate three houses were broken into on the same street and items were stolen.
“Investigations are underway and anyone with information, dashcam or CCTV footage in the area at the time, is urged to contact police,” a spokeswoman said.
More Coverage
Originally published as Cairns crime: TikTok user Jade Morris shares Bentley Park break-in video
Teens rushed to hospital after car crash
Two teens have been taken to hospital following a two-vehicle crash in Edmonton.
Explained: What $4m multicultural centre would mean for Mulgrave
Labor candidate for Mulgrave Richie Bates has pledged $4m to build a new multipurpose centre in Cairns, should the party remain in power after the October 26 state election.