Qld Police Minister lashes out as reports of flood looting emerge

Police have confirmed they will target shameful opportunistic looters targeting flood-hit Queenslanders as theft of property from the vulnerable is blasted as the “lowest act”.

Reports of looting in flood-stricken South East Queensland suburbs has drawn a furious response from authorities, with a senior politician describing those responsible as “grubs”, as police confirm they are taking action.

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll on Tuesday morning said there had been reports of alleged looting at Bundamba, Goodna and Blackstone, west of Brisbane.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on Monday afternoon.

Police and Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan said looting was “outrageous”.

“Let me put this as politely as I can to those people who are engaged in this behaviour,” he said.

“What you are doing is not just illegal, but you are also grubs.

Flooding has affected all over southeast Queensland. Photo: Adam Head

“You are preying on the most vulnerable Queenslanders at a time of their most vulnerable. “You’re not even Queenslanders when you engage in this behaviour because Queenslanders help their mates and Queenslanders support their mates, and if you’re thieving from them, you are not a Queenslander, you are a grub” he said.

The Queensland Police Service on Tuesday afternoon announced Operation Uniform Nash, which is intended to target looting and property crime in flood-affected areas from Maryborough to the Gold Coast.

Water Police and POLAIR will be incorporated into 24-hour patrols in flood zones which have already begun.

The police will also use a number of other resources for the purposes of this operation including general duty officers, plain clothes officers, railway squad, the dog squad, and also specialist police officers.

Police are aiming to deter would-be thieves through increased surveillance of these crimes after a number of looting incidents were reported in Ipswich.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk described looting property from flood victim as “unbelievable”.

“The last thing they (residents) need to be worried about is someone climbing into their house … just stop it,” she said.

Reports of looting have angered residents shocked at the opportunistic behaviour.

Clayfield resident Brendan Arkinstall put a “long shot” call out on social media today asking for the people that took his hammock on the footpath at Wongara Street to bring it back.

“We hadn’t finished sorting through everything and we’re planning on getting through it today,” he wrote.

Facebook user Leanne Gracie responded that looting was “the lowest act”.

Rachel Haigh said she had heard someone on Wongara St yelling at a person going through items flood affected residents had placed on the footpath.

“Heard them say ‘oi f*ck off, we got flooded 2 days ago’ and the person looting ran off, just keep an eye out, be a lot of people out taking things especially if no one is home,” she wrote.

Amber Slines said it was clear residents were still sorting through damaged items for things that could be salvaged.

“Omg why can’t people leave stuff alone, are they that desperate they need to do kerbside scabbing already,” she wrote.