Gladstone’s most dangerous suburbs and crime statistics revealed

Police data has revealed 1378 offences have been committed in the Gladstone region over the past three months with one business owner fed up. SEE HOW YOUR SUBURB RATES

Gladstone Police Station

New Queensland Police data has revealed since early April this year 1378 offences have been committed in the Gladstone local government area.

Of almost 1400 offences committed in the last quarter, between April 12 and July 13, there have been 249 other theft offences, 189 drug offences and 164 good order offences.

The most frequent crimes include traffic and related offences with 137, unlawful entry with 122, and assault at 91.

GLADSTONE’S WORST CRIME SUBURBS

1. Gladstone Central: 276 offences.

2. West Gladstone: 171 offences.

3. South Gladstone: 130 offences.

4. Clinton: 92 offences.

5. Calliope: 84 offences.

Queensland Police heatmap data reveals where Gladstone’s crime hotspots are.

Gladstone Senior Sergeant Glen Fletcher said while it might seem the area has a big crime problem, the numbers were in correlation per capita with the rest of the state.

“We are seeing a growing trend in crime, however what we’re seeing in Gladstone is still in proportion with the rest of the state,” sgt Fletcher said.

He also noted that while Gladstone’s crime rates were growing in conjunction with the rest of Queensland, there was not any sign of high rates in certain offences.

Of 173 total good order offences, 82 were committed in Gladstone Central outside of pubs and clubs like Mieplace Nightclub.

“One problem that we’re experiencing is a lack of correlation between discussion and reporting. If we aren’t being informed of something happening, then we’re not able to do anything to mitigate a particular problem or issue.”

Sgt Fletcher said there were certain crimes that were a specific reflection of the surrounding industry and environment.

“We’ve been seeing a fair bit of copper theft that’s taken from surrounding industries … we also had someone steal manhole covers, so crimes like these are very localised to Gladstone.”

THEFT OFFENCES

Theft is Gladstone’s most committed offence, with 249 thieving offences, with West Gladstone seeing the most at 62 offences.

One recent alleged theft offence occurred at Gladstone Motorcycles, on Toolooa St on June 14.

A group of people were charged over the offence, leaving shop owner Rob Brown frustrated as he dealt with another theft for the second time in almost 12 months.

The offenders captured on Gladstone Motorcycles CCTV.

Mr Brown said he was exhausted by the process and sick of not seeing any ‘real justice’.

He described the ordeal that turned his store into a crime scene as a ‘perfectly good waste of his time.’

“There’s obviously costs attached all along the way as well. My insurance company might be somewhere around $35,000 out of pocket.

“Those expenses then get passed onto all of the people looking for insurance. I can have an opinion and I can have a voice, but it’s not going to matter until the people responsible for making the changes actually make them,” he said.

Mr Brown said the break-in at his shop cost him time and money.

DRUG OFFENCES

Methamphetamine and Cannabis in particular continue to give Gladstone a ‘high’ score when it comes to drug offences.

There were 189 drug offences committed in the Gladstone LGA, with South Gladstone in the lead at 41.

Following South Gladstone is Gladstone Central (25), then Boyne Island (20) and Toolooa (16).

Jamie Roy White was given a two-year prison term on November 11 for possessing more than two grams of methamphetamines.

Jamie Roy White, a 30-year-old Gladstone father pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court On May 31, narrowly avoiding a return to jail after committing further drug offences.

White was pulled over for a breath test on April 4 in Calliope when police found .7g of meth in his wallet, and then on April 13 White was stopped again in South Gladstone and found with 22g of cannabis and a large hunting knife in a backpack.

ASSAULT

Gladstone saw 91 assault offences during the three-month period, 24 of which happened in Gladstone Central.

After Gladstone Central there were 10 offences in West Gladstone and eight in both Barney Point and Calliope.

Jason Raine Petersen has faced court recently..

On June 7, 20-year-old Jason Raine Petersen and a female victim were involved in an argument in West Gladstone that turned violent when the woman grabbed his testicles and he bit her on the back.

The woman showed the bite marks and the bruise to police the next day.

Petersen pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm, a domestic violence offence and was placed on a 12-month good behaviour order with a $1000 recognisance.