Townsville Correctional Centre under microscope after prisoner steals from gravesite

A prisoner is under investigation after he stole from the gravesite of a teenager killed in a crash, while completing community service.

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A PRISONER is under investigation after he allegedly stole from a gravesite, while performing community service.

It’s understood the unnamed prisoner stole watches and a hat from the grave of Lucius Baira-Hill who was killed when an allegedly stolen car hit a roundabout and rolled before hitting a traffic pole.

It wasn’t until a relative of the 13-year-old’s, who is also serving time at the Stuart Prison saw the inmate with the stolen items and reported it to guards at the facility.

Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) confirmed it was investigating the incident, believed to have occurred late last year.

It’s understood the prisoner on the community service details, was serving time inside the low security section of Townsville Correctional Centre and had been tasked to clean the Belgian Gardens Cemetery.

Sources close to the organisation told the Townsville Bulletin that management reportedly brushed it off when informed, telling staff to write the stolen property up as the inmate’s own personal items.

A memorial for the four teenagers killed in a crash on June 7 was set up by the roadside. Picture: Alix Sweeney

QCS said it was “not aware” of these allegations, instead saying a family member of the boy, also in custody, spotted the stolen items and reported it to the officers.

QCS said the items were then written up on the family member’s log to receive upon release.

They were not returned to the gravesite.

The prisoner who stole the items was banned from community service work for the remainder of his sentence.

The 13-year-old boy was one of four teenagers killed in an alleged stolen car crash at Garbutt on June 7.

Four teenagers were killed after an alleged stolen car they were in crashed at the intersection of Duckworth St and Bayswater Rd at 4.30am on June 7. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR

The teenage driver and sole survivor of the crash has been charged with nine offences, including dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, and will learn his fate in a trial this year.

The date of the judge only trial is yet to be set.

The matter has been referred to police, but they declined to comment on the incident, saying it was still under investigation by the Corrective Services Investigation Unit.

The boy’s family say there was a mobile CCTV camera placed near his gravesite a few months after he was buried.

The family were not aware of this recent theft, but said his memorial had previously been vandalised and items thrown in bushland.

Originally published as Townsville Correctional Centre under microscope after prisoner steals from gravesite