‘Sickening’: Break-ins on rise across Southern Downs

Resident shares a warning after thieves force their way into a property and ‘ransack’ it.

BREAK INS: The Dalveen resident was left shocked by the incident in the quiet neighbourhood.

Southern Downs residents have been left concerned about the rise in thefts and attempted break-ins with some thieves using angle grinders to force their way into households.

Dalveen resident Bern Cosgrove was looking after her neighbour’s property this week when she realised the gate had been ground off.

Calling him as she walked through the broken gate into the property, she soon realised the extent of the damage.

“I walked through and saw the garage door was open and then went ‘oh no the house door is open’,” she said.
“I had to tell them ‘you’ve been ransacked, there’s stuff everywhere’.

“I literally felt sick for them, it was so overwhelming. It’s sickening to see someone invade your space.”

Ms Cosgrove reported the matter to police but said her neighbour was “too shell-shocked” to yet account for how much was missing.

An extensive repair bill was also expected, with doors damaged and windows smashed by the offenders.

With items left outside, she believed the thief could have been an “opportunist” looking to come back for more.

“Obviously someone’s been watching and knows they’re not here all the time,” she said.

“But we’ve never had anything happened along this street.”

Ms Cosgrove said police told her there had been more thieves looking for guns and gun cupboards because they were the “most valuable.”

Her message was for residents to not live in fear but take steps for protection.

“Just be a bit more aware, put cameras up,” she said.

It comes as Warwick residents also grow increasingly disturbed about suspicious behaviour.

A social media post lit up on Tuesday night after a Hudson St resident reported a man trespassing properties and “looking into people’s vehicles” around west Warwick.

Warwick Police were contacted for further information on the claims but did not respond by time of publication.

New statistics reveals Queensland is the only state where the number of car thefts continues to rise, with a 48 per cent increase from 2015 to 2019.

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