Youth crime buster reveals teen thugs’ main motivation

The man tasked with fighting Queensland’s youth crime crisis has revealed his blueprint – and the No.1 motivation of teen offenders.

• Deadline: Premier given ultimatum
• Editor’s view: A welcome approach

A detective who has worked on some of Queensland’s most high-profile murder investigations has vowed to hold young criminals to account “each and every day”, fight harder to keep violent teens behind bars and ramp up early intervention programs.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham has revealed his vision for 2024 in his new role running the Queensland Police Service’s response to youth crime.

“My vision is simple: I want people to be safe and to feel safe in our community,” he said.

Mr Massingham said this would involve a large focus on programs for at-risk teens to steer them away from crime, as well as better communication with victims of crime.

“I do, however, want young serious repeat offenders held to account each and every day, particularly those that use violence and (offend) while armed – and where necessary object to their bail in the strongest terms,” he said.

He believed social media was the No.1 reason young criminals broke into homes and stole cars.

“It’s not to obtain property for personal benefit. It’s to live-stream and gain notoriety,” he said.

Mr Massingham is a former homicide investigator who was involved in bringing triple murderer Max Sica to justice for the brutal killings of Neelma Singh and her siblings Kunal and Sidhi in 2003.

More recently, he was Brisbane regional crime co-ordinator and held media conferences to update the public on murder investigations and other major crimes.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham on Monday. Picture: Richard Walker

“I know as an investigator for nearly 30 years and the number of victims that I have encountered and worked with and still visit at Christmas – they are people that need ongoing support and interaction with us,” he said.

“I want us to be better communicators, always informing the community of the steps we are taking to reduce juvenile offending.

“Our teams remain committed to protecting the community by responding quickly, investigating thoroughly and taking swift enforcement action with our serious repeat offenders.

“I want the community to have confidence that we can stem the flow of juvenile offending through protection and enforcement, high-visibility policing and intervention and prevention.

“Today I give them that commitment.”

The pledge came after a 16-year-old repeat offender wanted on five arrest warrants live-streamed himself during an alleged stolen car chase while threatening to commit more crimes.

Acting Detective Superintendent Craig Williams said the youth – one of four teenagers charged over a chase on Saturday night involving an Audi allegedly stolen from a home in Bardon – was a “significant offender” who had recently been released from detention.

“It was quickly established that the people responsible for (allegedly stealing the car) were serious repeat offenders who were juvenile,” he said.

“(Police helicopter) Polair was used to track the vehicle ... throughout Logan, Pine Rivers, and north and south Brisbane.

“The vehicle was stung using tyre deflation devices in the Deception Bay area but continued to travel on all four rims down the highway on the Gympie Arterial Rd.

“While the offenders were still being pursued by police, they were live-streaming from the vehicle and one of the juvenile offenders was making threats to commit further offences and steal another vehicle.”

The alleged offenders tracked by police helicopter

Supt Williams said the driver, 16, and three passengers – aged 15, 17 and 18 – were taken into custody.

“One of those (charged) was a significant offender,” he said.

He said the driver was wanted for property crime offences.

Also at the weekend, woman on the Gold Coast was allegedly threatened with a scalpel while walking her dog late at night.

Two boys, aged 12 and 13, and a girl, 15, were charged with robbery while armed and in company.

Mr Massingham said police had “dozens and dozens” of analysts who scoured social media sites to gather evidence.

“But more importantly, we also use that specialist skill to identify co-offenders or persons on the fringe that we think we can then work with and divert from that life of crime,” he said.

Mr Massingham said the pursuit of young, hardened offenders would be “better co-ordinated” with specialist resources pulled in where necessary.

He said he also planned to look at further opportunities to use electronic monitoring devices.

“We will continue to put (juvenile offenders) before the courts,” he said.

“And if we get an adverse bail decision after objecting to bail – if we have the requisite (legal) information – we will take strong action and appeal those decisions.

“I have given strong instructions to those regional crime co-ordinators that any juvenile released on bail that we think is a risk to our community, to brief me immediately and we will seek independent advice and take that matter swiftly back before the court and have that matter revisited.”

The allegedly stolen Audi at the weekend

Two youngsters arrested after the Gold Coast incident. Picture: RMGNEWS