Townsville crime data: The numbers Premier David Crisafulli doesn't want you to see
Premier David Crisafulli has been accused of “gaslighting” Townsville with new figures revealing the crime crisis is continuing unabated, the Opposition claims.
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Queensland Premiere David Crisafulli has been accused of “gaslighting” Townsville with new figures revealing the crime crisis is continuing unabated, the Opposition says.
According to Queensland Police data, total crimes in Townsville in the first half of 2025 are on track to equal or surpass total crimes for 2024 and the record high year in 2023.
‘All offences’ in Townsville currently stand at 23,919, putting it on pace to hit 47,838 by the end of the year.
Total crimes in 2024 were 46,961, and 47,957 in 2023.
Shadow Police Minister Glenn Butcher said Mr Crisafulli was “gaslighting Townsville’s victims of crime when he claims there has been green shoots in curbing crime”.
“As the figures show, more cars are being stolen and homes broken into,” he said.
“David Crisafulli promised he would fix crime by Christmas but all he’s delivered is an empty four-word slogan.”
Figures for the first six months of the year supplied by Mr Butcher’s office show that:
• Dangerous operation of a vehicle increased 3.1 per cent (from 97 offences in 2024 to 100 offences in 2025)
• Unlawful use or possession of motor vehicles jumped 9 per cent (from 715 offences in 2024 to 779 offences in 2025)
• Unlawful entry of vehicle rose 4.7 per cent (from 835 offences in 2024 to 874 offences in 2025)
• Life-endangering acts climbed 12.8 per cent (from 218 offences in 2024 to 246 offences in 2025)
• Burglary increased 4.3 per cent (from 1376 offences in 2024 to 1435 offences in 2025)
• Shop stealing was up 11.3 per cent (from 936 offences in 2024 to 1042 offences in 2025)
• Unlawful entry with violence – dwelling and unlawful entry without violence – dwelling respectively rose 7.5 per cent (from 40 offences in 2024 to 43 offences in 2025) and 4.2 per cent (from 1336 offences in 2024 to 1392 offences in 2025)
• Arson soared 37.3 per cent (from 59 offences in 2024 to 81 offences in 2025)
• Weapons act offences increased 12.2 per cent (from 286 offences in 2024 to 321 offences in 2025)
The LNP government hit back, however, saying that in the Townsville police district there had been a 44 per cent drop in robberies, 12 per cent decrease in unlawful entries and 7.6 per cent decline in stolen cars in the 24/25 financial year compared to the previous 12 months.
Police Minister Dan Purdie said it would not be “lectured to by the former government who created Queensland’s youth crime crisis with weak laws, fewer police and no early intervention to divert children away from a life of crime”.
“Queenslanders voted for a fresh start on youth crime, including adult crime, adult time, which is already delivering green shoots across the state, as well as more police, early intervention and rehabilitation,” he said.
“We will continue delivering the change that’s needed to restore safety to our community.”
An LNP spokeswoman said that across Queensland since the start of this year, compared to the same period last year, there had been “green shoots to show we are turning in the tide”.
She said overall offences were down by 3 per cent, including a 13 drop in robberies, 3.8 per cent decrease in stolen cars and a nearly 10 per cent decrease in unlawful entries.
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Originally published as Townsville crime data: The numbers Premier David Crisafulli doesn't want you to see
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