Operation Cathedral targets rising car theft in Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast

A new operation targeting car theft will focus on spreading the message of crime prevention and securing your keys, house and vehicle to reduce the likelihood of motor vehicle theft.

Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast residents could expect a police officer on their doorstep after a new operation was launched to target the rise of car theft in the region.

Operation Cathedral comes as an average of eight cars are being stolen in Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast per week, with 14 recorded last week alone.

The operation began on Monday (October 18) and will run for six weeks until November 26.

Police from the Crime Prevention Unit and Volunteering in Policing (VIPs) will be heading the operation and spreading the message of securing your vehicle, house and keys to reduce the likelihood of car theft.

“The community will be able to see our crime prevention team on foot out in the community, they may drop some material in letter boxes and if the owners are around, they will likely catch up for a chat,” Acting Superintendent Mark Burgess said.

“We will be deploying a mobile police facility in the neighbourhood areas.

“This will increase our police visibility and also provide another interaction point for members of the community.

“This is about giving the community the information they need to reduce any opportunities for thieves in their areas.”

Police say the nature of offending in the region is evolving and offenders are stealing multiple vehicles.

“Our old strategies we used to deploy to saturate an area, a suburb that may be a hotspot, well these hot spots start at Rockhampton and they move to Yeppoon and Gracemere … it is a very mobile target for us,” Mr Burgess said.

“This creates challenges for police in terms of prevention, detection and disruption and we need the community’s help.

“This isn’t a lock or lose it campaign, this is a fundamental shift in the way we look at crime prevention across our communities.

“The most common method of entries are those sneak offences, unlocking latches, opening unlocked doors, windows, sometimes keys are even left out on back patio tables.”

On current trends, motor vehicle theft will increase by about 20 per cent if the crime rate continues.

The rise of motor vehicle theft was not specific to Rockhampton, it was rising across the state, Mr Burgess said.

Juveniles make up a substantial amount of offenders, as do repeat offenders and some who are not known to police.

When police do catch them, Mr Burgess said there was a range of reasons the offenders tell police why they did it, most commonly notoriety and boredom in the younger age bracket.

Officer in Charge Crime Prevention Unit Senior Sergeant Ashley Hull said his team and the VIPs would be talking to the community about things they could do to reduce their vehicles being stolen.

“Because of changing technology, offenders can no longer just break into your car, hot wire it and drive it away, they need the keys to steal your car,” he said.

“So what we are finding is that offenders break into the house, with the sole purpose of getting your car keys so they can steal your car.

“That’s what we will be talking to people about, things they can do prevent the chance of that happening.

“Make sure your house is locked and secured, even if you are home, the security screens are locked, windows are closed or locked, reduce the opportunity for offenders to get into your home in the first place.”

He also noted it was a lot less common for manual vehicles to be stolen as many offenders cannot drive them.

“They are looking for the easiest opportunity they can,” he said.

“Make sure you secure your car keys, don’t just leave them out, lying around where they can use them, make sure your car is locked up, inside your garage, if you’ve got a gate, lock the gate.”

Victims of motor vehicle theft may also have it happen a second time as they are “easy targets”.

“If you leave your keys out, they break into your house and have success, get your keys and drive away, you are now an easy target,” Mr Hull said.

“It’s about making it as difficult as you can for offenders.

“What we hope to see is a change of behaviour.”

Ray Whiting has been volunteering with the police for the past year and will be among the group involved in Operation Cathedral.

“(We will be) going out talking to people, common sense type things, keep your house locked, keep your car locked,” he said.

“It’s surprising how many people do it, it’s the old Aussie attitude, ‘it won’t happen to me’.

“Car theft is on the increase, so it’s definitely needed.”

CAPRICORNIA CRIME STATISTICS

The Capricornia district covers the regions including Miriam Vale, Agnes Water, Gladstone, Biloela, Marlborough, Longreach, Emerald, Woorabinda, Rockhampton and Yeppoon.

In order of car related crimes in September 2020/ September 2021

Unlawful entry: 106 / 178

Unlawful entry with intent: 62 / 123

Unlawful entry without violence – dwelling: 60 / 120

Unlawful entry with violence – dwelling: 2 / 3

Unlawful use of motor vehicle: 35 / 63

Vehicle (steal from enter with intent): 62 / 91

Dangerous operation of motor vehicle: 11 / 16

From July 19 to October 18, 2021, 855 offences have been recorded for the 4700 postcode and 1,392 for the 4701 postcode.