Abbey St Boys launch night patrol as crime wave sweeps Forestdale

A band of brothers is patrolling the streets of a southside suburb at night to keep residents safe after their parents’ new home was broken into and a car and precious jewellery stolen.

Members of the Oti family, mum Ava with sons Jay, Oti and Kise and Oti’s wife Trish.

A band of brothers is patrolling the streets of a southside suburb at night to keep residents safe after their parents’ new home was broken into and a car and precious jewellery stolen.

The four Oti brothers have been walking the streets of Forestdale after the family house was ransacked and robbed on October 17.

News of the crime spread via the brothers’ social media network and the red stolen Clio car was found four hours later at Logan Central Shopping centre, with some of the stolen property in the back seat.

Police charged a 20-year-old Woodridge man in relation to the Oti family house break-in.

A day later, a house in nearby Nottingham Ct was robbed, which was when the brothers decided to set up the Abbey Street Boys group and patrol the neighbourhood.

The Forestdale crimes followed a terrifying ordeal for an elderly couple who live 800m away in neighbouring Hillcrest.

On patrol, the Abbey Street Boys walk the streets of Forestdale where they say there has been a crime spree in the past four months, after their parents’ house was robbed.

The elderly couple’s house was subjected to a ram-raid on October 3 when a stolen white four-door car slammed into their garage roller door, shaking their home to its foundations and ploughing down their brick letterbox.

A police crime map showing the incidents of offences in Forestdale over the past six months.

The Forestdale street group takes torches and some good humour to the streets after dark to deter thugs from attempting to break into their Abbey St family home again and to protect nearby neighbours.

The group is also active during the day and has been able to warn families about a suspicious vehicle being driven by a woman in the suburb’s cul-de-sacs.

Since they have been on the beat, no neighbours have reported being broken into or intimidated.

They decided to act after the Logan suburb racked up its highest crime wave in 18 months, recording 19 offences in four weeks, just under the top rate of 21 in a month, recorded in 2021.

Police statistics showing the crime rate for Forestdale since April 2021 until October 2022.

Eldest brother Oti Oti, 35, who works in the youth sector and is a senior pastor at Divine Ministries Alofa Tunoa, is group leader.

His wife, Trish Oti, said the brothers were part of a loving islander family and decided to walk the streets at night shining torches in bushes and talking to anyone they met to make their presence known.

They make sure they know any spots thieves might use to stash stolen goods and patrol a well-known bush alley.

“We are part of a church community and their mum and dad’s house is like central headquarters,” Mrs Oti said.

“When someone broke in and stole from their mother, the brothers were not going to let it happen again.

“They stole property but they also stole people’s sense of security and that’s difficult to replace.

“It appears the boys could have frightened off a potential break-in one night, which neighbours have thanked us for.

“They might look scary but they are the kindest islanders you will meet.”

Forestdale Neighbourhood Watch said police had promised to run high-visibility crime prevention activities in the area over the next few weeks.

The neighbourhood watch group also said it would continue to investigate residents’ concerns and ensure all perpetrators were charged.

The family’s red Clio was found at Logan Central Shopping Centre after a security guard notified a shop owner.

Browns Plains police station officer-in-charge senior sergeant Adam Cordner said community members should not put themselves and others at risk by taking part in potentially dangerous vigilante activity.

“This type of behaviour is discouraged because, however well-intentioned, a person may place themselves at unacceptable risk,” he said.

“There are specific defences in the Criminal Code and powers under the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act for law enforcement who engage with suspected offenders.

“These defences and powers do not extend to ‘vigilantes’ who may inadvertently commit offences themselves.”

Sen Sgt Cordner said police actively patrolled all suburbs and targeted identified areas where break-ins had been occurring.

He said police worked on intelligence-driven information and moved resources accordingly throughout districts.

In February, police set up Taskforce Uniform Knot to address an increase in unlawful activity including serious personal violence offences, property offences, weapon offences, serious fraud offences and public disturbances.

■ Anyone with information in relation to suspicious or suspected illegal activity can report it via Policelink on 131 444 or call triple-0 if the crime is in progress or during an emergency.