‘Havoc’: Redlynch shop owners fed up with senseless thieves and vandals

A fish and chip shop owned by one of the region’s lead business advocates has become the latest Redlynch business to be left with thousands of dollars worth of damage after a break-in by youth crims.

Redlynch Central Shopping Centre at Redlynch. Picture: Brendan Radke

A fish and chip shop owned by one of the region’s lead business advocates has become the latest Redlynch business to be left with thousands of dollars worth of damage after a break-in by youth crims.

Cairns Chamber of Commerce CEO Patricia O’Neill and her husband have owned Scotsmans Fish and Chips in Redlynch for nine years.

On Thursday night last week they were the latest business targeted in a spate of break-ins that have left shop owners around the shopping centre feeling fed up.

Ms O’Neill said it was the first time their business had been targeted.

“There were four kids wearing hoods with gloves on so no fingerprints,” she said.

“They smashed the plate glass window with a big brick, threw things around and made a big mess.”

Ms O’Neill said they made off with a charity tin with change but they left a damage bill in the thousands of dollars.

Scotsman's Fish + Chips + Burgers at the Redlynch Central Shopping Centre. Picture: Brendan Radke

“They took the charity tin for the hospital foundation, it was just mostly coinage so all this damage for probably less than $100.

“The repair was in the thousands and not only that it’s the inconvenience of the cleaning and efforts to get up and trading again.”

Ms O’Neill said that other stores in the shopping precinct had been hit multiple times.

“Domino’s Pizza shop has been targeted a number of times and the Generations Coffee shop I think have had five break-ins and a number in the last few weeks.

“People are getting fed up and coming in school holidays these kids are just getting around causing havoc.”

She said she hoped that there could be an increase in security in the complex.

“There is a security patrol but I’m not sure what time they finish and it is just one guy walking around the shopping centre.”

The almost daily break-ins across the city come as new data revealed the Far North has the highest number of serious repeat youth offenders in the state.

New police and youth justice data released by the state government showed there were 400 serious repeat youth offenders scattered across Queensland as of last month.

A staggering 40 per cent, or 159, of those serious repeat offenders were based in the Far North, Townsville and Mount Isa police districts.

The Far North topped the list with 78 repeat offenders and ranked second behind only South Brisbane for the total number of youth offences, with 6829 this year to date.

Premier David Crisafulli used the new data to again slam the former government’s record on youth crime.

Cairns Chamber of Commerce chief executive Patricia O'Neill speaks at the 2024 Meet the Candidates: State Election Forum Lunch, hosted by the Cairns Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Tropical North Queensland at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Under Labor our suburbs became youth crime war zones, under siege from a generation of repeat offenders running riot and robbing our safety,” he said.

Ms O’Neill called for more action from the new government to help businesses that are victims of crime.

“The government hasn't taken much notice, I just hope that these new laws will begin to see some change,” She said.

“The loss of trading and damage can be traumatic and just a half day of being closed can be a big financial hit.

“Speaking for the Chamber we will be advocating for government to pay more attention to businesses affected by crime and we hope we can see some traction and movement.

“Right now there is not much of that happening, things like restorative justice need to be compulsory for these kids, right now they can choose not to do it.

“The power is in the wrong hands.”

Police Minister Dan Purdie said the data painted the “clearest picture of the desperate need for tougher laws to fight youth crime in Queensland”.

“The residents living in these areas have been let down for too long under the former government who allowed serious repeat youth offenders to avoid adequate punishment and let them continue to terrorise these communities,” he said.

The tough new laws mean children face life imprisonment for murder, manslaughter, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm and unlawful striking causing death.

Repeat offenders committing the most serious of car-related crimes must also be sent to jail as a minimum.

Under the changes a child’s criminal history will also be carried into adulthood when they are sentenced for a crime.

Originally published as ‘Havoc’: Redlynch shop owners fed up with senseless thieves and vandals