Southern Downs town unites in crime crackdown after shocking theft, break-in spike

An alarming spate of more than 120 thefts and break-ins in only a few months sparked the intensive operation, with Southern Downs police and politicians joining forces to combat crime.

CRIME CRACKDOWN: Goondiwindi police officers are set to receive extra staff to help tackle the alarming spike in youth and property-related crime. Picture: Kevin Farmer / The Chronicle

An alarming spate of theft and break-ins sweeping a Southern Downs town has given its police force the green light to bulk up their numbers, but the politicians are urgently calling for a longer term solution.

The Queensland Police Service confirmed this week it would send additional resources to Goondiwindi to combat the spike in property-related crime, which has seen 122 such offences committed between April 7 – July 6 alone.

The announcement comes only days after thieves destroyed four vehicles and escaped with a fifth in a shocking crime spree across the town CBD that led to multiple police pursuits in northern NSW.

Goondiwindi police officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Richard McIntosh said a 10-week operation targeting property-related offences was a huge success, but its end last month meant additional staff and resources had been withdrawn.

He welcomed the temporary reinstatement of extra officers as the “key way” to tackle the town’s climbing crime rate.

“It creates more staff who are available to respond, which is the main thing. (The numbers) will fluctuate, but we’ve got those extra staff incoming,” Senior Sergeant McIntosh said.

“We haven’t charged anyone for this latest lot, but they are offenders from the local areas and we think they’re youthful offenders as well.

“It’s very frustrating for the community that people are being continually offended against. A few are coming from NSW and not only offending here but into NSW, which is harder for us to address with border restrictions.”

TOUGH STANCE: Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg is calling on the State Government to make the additional police staff and resources a permanent fixture. Picture: file

The reinstatement was also applauded by Goondiwindi Mayor Lawrence Springborg, who said he was writing to Minister for Police and Corrective Services Mark Ryan to ask the reallocation be made permanent.

“It’s extremely disappointing that such a small number of individuals are taking up so much police resourcing and impacting our community,” he said.

“This has been an accidental case study about how effective those resources were, and it shows that they made a big difference to suppressing crime and keeping our local community safe whilst they were in place.

“Now we know what works, let’s work towards a permanent solution. Ultimately, crime and the courts system sit under the power of the state, but I look forward to a proactive discussion.”

Representatives of Goondiwindi Regional Council and the town’s police contingent will join members of the NSW Police Force and Goondiwindi Chamber of Commerce in a new Border Towns Crime Prevention Committee.

The group will aim to improve community engagement and hold its first meeting on July 14.

The renewed calls for permanent solutions to the region’s youth and repeat offender concerns come only weeks after Member for Southern Downs James Lister lodged the 2400-signature-strong petition against “recidivist crime”.

Calling on the Palaszczuk Government to undo its repeal of the breach of bail offence, the petition was focused on addressing vandalism, break-ins, and other property-related crime in Goondiwindi and Warwick.

“Good, law-abiding citizens are entitled to protection from those who are not, regardless of how sad offenders’ personal stories and backgrounds may be,” Mr Lister wrote.

“The current criminal law does not result in adequate consequences for offenders ... (and) the efforts of our police to prevent crime are frustrated by an inadequacy of consequences for repeat offenders.”

A response to the petition is due on July 15.