Rockhampton police urge frustrated residents against vigilante behaviour

Community anger is swelling after a spate of break ins and car thefts in the Rockhampton region, prompting a warning from police.

Rockhampton police are urging frustrated residents against vigilante behaviour amid community anger about a spate of break and enters and serious stolen car activity in the region.

Detective Inspector Luke Peachey said police understood people were “angry” but warned against taking matters into their own hands.

“We get that people are angry but we just need to make sure those people don’t take it out (their anger) in the wrong place,” he said.

“The last thing we want to be doing is arresting someone, a good person who is fed up with the system, for doing something silly.”

Detective Inspector Luke Peachey warns against vigilante behaviour.

He issued the advice after police charged four teenage boys with alleged theft of an MG car and property offences across the Rockhampton region this week.

They allegedly broke into a home, two service stations and a post office.

They are all due to appear in the Rockhampton Childrens Court.

In another incident just days before, four young people were charged with several offences after a an allegedly stolen Great Wall Cannon was captured on camera being driven at Bluff, Duaringa and Rockhampton over a three-day period.

Two of the four pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court while the other two made bail applications.

The two who did not enter a plea were released on bail and are due to appear in court in March.

In another incident, on February 12, thieves allegedly used a stolen vehicle used to smash through the steel roller door of a Gracemere bottle shop, destroying it and trashing the store.

“We understand there is a sentiment out there at the moment that police are not doing enough,” Detective Inspector Peachey said.

“We know one offence is too many but we are out there and we are putting extra bodies on the road, extra people on overtime.

“Please leave it up to police.”

He was also aware of frustration in regards to police ability to pursue and intercept stolen vehicles.

“It’s one where we have to weigh up the risks,” he said.

“The last thing we want to be doing is pursuing a 15-year-old boy in a stolen vehicle who hasn’t got a licence, is not qualified to drive that vehicle and then some innocent person is injured or even killed because the driver has sped up because we’re pursuing them.

Police have charged seven people with 27 offences following alleged unlawful use of motor vehicle offences in Rockhampton throughout the week of February 10, 2025.

“Each time a stolen vehicle goes past us we have to make a risk assessment and obviously we have to abide by the legislation which is provide to us. (But) I’m aware that legislation is currently being reviewed.”

He urged people to let police do their work as most offenders were arrested within a few days.

“What I can say is we find these people, we know who they are,” he said.

“We might not get them straight away but we usually have them in custody within 48 hours of committing offences.”

“All we want is to make sure that people are not putting themselves at risk by either apprehending these people themselves or trying to get in front of these people.

“We don’t want people getting in trouble by putting themselves at risk.”