‘Aggressive behaviour’: Police search Mt Coot-tha after female hikers targeted

A massive police operation also saw a highly visible deployment of officers into Mount Coot-Tha following reports of more aggressive behaviour towards female hikers and runners.

A police operation on Brisbane’s northside netted 3kg of what is believed to be the drug ice, a gun, 12 knives and brought 829 people – including 148 children – before the courts.

The seventh deployment of Operation Whiskey Legion – a 10-day saturation of police into a particular district – also saw a major, highly visible deployment of officers into Mount Coot-Tha following reports of aggressive behaviour towards female hikers and runners.

North Brisbane District Superintendent Simon Tayler said police would continue to be “highly present” around the popular urban hiking spot, with the most recent report to police of strange behaviour towards women made on Thursday.

It comes just two months after an attempted sexual assault on the Cockatoo Trail, Mt Coot-Tha. Picture: Liam Kidston.

“What I can say is that we did deploy additional assets as part of Whiskey Legion up into those public spaces,” he said.

“People would have seen PolAir, they would have seen the mounted unit, they would have seen motorbikes, trail bikes going through and they would have seen additional foot patrols.

“What we want to say to those people, the people of Mount Coot-Tha, people at Chermside, people in the city, they will continue to see us highly visible and highly present because there is nothing we want more than for the community to feel safe and for the community to be safe.”

An arrest made as part of Operation Whiskey Legion in North Brisbane. Photo: QPS.

Police confirmed they were investigating a report of a man loitering along the Litchfield Track and Mahogany Trail at Mount Coot-Tha between 8.30am and 9am Thursday.

“PolAir and police on foot conducted patrols of the area however were unable to locate the man.

“No one was injured and no threats were made.

“The man is described as caucasian, thin build, bald with a moustache and was wearing black.”

A post in an online hiking community said a number of women had seen a man “who behaved strangely and in an intimidating manner”.

“In one instance he aggressively tore a branch off a tree as a woman was running by. This was reported to police,” the poster wrote.

Police said they would like to speak directly to the women who saw the man and urged them to contact them.

“This report is not linked to an earlier incident on June 7, which police are continuing to investigate,” a police spokesman said.

Operation Whiskey Legion in North Brisbane. Photo: QPS

Det Supt Tayler said 829 people were charged with 2107 offences from the 10-day sweep, which started on June 19.

Charges included armed robbery, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, wilful damage to property, unlawful possession of a weapon and drug offences.

In one case, a 51-year-old Brisbane man was charged with seven counts of wilful damage after he allegedly keyed several cars in Woolloongabba and Kangaroo Point between September 2023 and May 2024.

Police also conducted more than 1000 street checks and more than 5700 roadside breath and drug tests.

A total of 36 outstanding domestic violence offenders were located and will be brought before the courts.

“This was about reassuring the community that we are out there doing our business,” Det Supt Tayler said.