Townsville father slams Queensland government after youths attempt to steal family car

A furious Queensland dad has unleashed on the state government after a group of youths tried to steal his car with his six-month-old baby inside. WATCH THE VIDEO

• Inside story: Qld’s youth crime crisis

A furious Queensland father has lashed out at the state government after youths tried to steal his car from a busy shopping centre car park with his six-month-old baby inside.

Townsville man Chris Thurley recounted the ordeal to The Courier-Mail in the hours after, saying his wife was so traumatised by the incident that she bought wasp spray to keep in her car as protection.

Mr Thurley made an emotional video calling out the state government as a “joke” in the moments after he returned to his car to find his wife flustered and on the phone to police.

“My kids could be injured, my kids could be f**king dead and the government doesn’t give a f**k,” he said.

Townsville dad Chris Thurley has unleashed on the state government after youths attempted to steal his car with his six-month-old baby inside.

The ordeal played out about 9.15am on Wednesday in the car park of popular Willows Shopping Centre at Kirwan while Mr Thurley’s wife was waiting for him.

She was standing outside their running, unlocked car with her six-month-old baby in the back seat when a stolen white Audi pulled up in the carpark next to her.

The Audi was stolen from a Belgian Gardens house on Monday and has been spotted wreaking havoc across Townsville since, with youths boasting about the car on social media.

Mr Thurley said four juveniles emerged from the car and approached his wife, but luckily she realised their intentions, bolted to the driver’s seat and locked the doors.

The group fled, and Mr Thurley found his wife distressed and on the phone to police just moments after.

The youths flee in the stolen Audi SUV.

Mr Thurley said his wife potentially saved their child’s life.

“When they steal these cars, they just throw all the contents out. They can easily throw a baby seat out of a car while it’s moving,” he said.

“At 9.15am, and you can’t even go to Big W to buy nappies and wipes, we almost get carjacked.”

Youths posted on social media with a stolen white Audi Q7. Picture: Instagram

Distraught and angry, Mr Thurley took to social media to call out the state government for “letting this happen”.

“They’re putting families at risk, it is a joke mate, an absolute joke,” he said to the camera.

“Our town is getting terrorised by these mother f**kers.

“Parents don’t care, government doesn’t care, I have a six-month-old in the car and they were going to take the car.”

Chris Thurley says police are powerless in dealing with the youth crime crisis.

Mr Thurley has lived in Townsville his entire life, and said victims are paying the price.

“If they had got in that driver seat, they could have got in that car and left with that car with a baby strapped in the back.

“My partner will now have a complex with shopping centre car parks and trauma associated every time she goes to the shopping centre.

“This will be something we now have to deal with as a family, and those kids think it’s fun.”

Queensland Police confirmed that the Audi had been recovered at around 6am on Thursday after it was dumped at High Range Drive, Thuringowa Central.

It had sustained “moderate damage”.

Police investigations are continuing and the suspects remain at large.