Tensions explode at Rosewood pub, wild patron allegedly stabs bar

A Rosewood man was arrested for eight alleged crimes on the weekend after a wild incident at a popular watering hole.

A few cold ones at a pub on Saturday turned sour for a 45-year-old Rosewood man who allegedly damaged a bar with a knife and later assaulted police officers.

A police spokeswoman said not long after the alleged knife incident the man exited the establishment, and was also allegedly involved in a further disturbance along Mills St.

Police officers were called to the disturbance at about 5pm on Saturday, July 2, however the situation escalated.

The man allegedly assaulted officers three times before being pinned to a gutter and handcuffed.

It is alleged the man damaged police property, was in possession of dangerous drugs, and had a stolen item.

He is due to appear in Ipswich court this week.

Rosewood west of Ipswich, which is developing at a rapid pace as multiple housing estates are planned for and near the soon to be gone 'small country town,'. Picture: CMCA

The incident sparked chatter among locals who have concerns about safety with many calling for a 24 hour police presence in the town of more than 13,000.

Rosewood mum Adriana Lenhehan said she had noticed an increase in break-ins, car thefts and stealing.

“Our street has been quiet the whole time we’ve been here and then two weeks ago, someone stole my daughter’s wet bedroom rug off our fence and we’ve heard a few other things in our street lately,” she said.

“There needs to be an open police station in Rosewood now, and more patrolling of officers who actually look out for things.”

The QPS Rosewood division expands across a significant proportion of SEQ. The hot spots and numbers in this image represent the 211 alleged crimes that police responded to over the past six months – 110 of which occurred in or near the town centre. Picture: QPS

The suburb of Rosewood and neighbouring areas of Walloon and Thagoona, are experiencing significant growth following a number of housing developments.

Developers plan to build many more housing estates in the once rural area which is only a 30 minute drive from the Ipswich CBD.

Rosewood is flanked by two major highways, the Warrego and Cunningham, making it an easy target for would-be criminals.

Each year the number of crimes reported to police has been steadily rising in the Rosewood District from the 400’s in 2014-2015, into the 500’s from 2016 to 2020, and reaching a peak of 618 in 2021.

Over the past six months the most common crimes in the area were traffic offences (40 charges), followed by theft (39), break and enter (27), assault (27), followed by drug offences (24).