Stolen cars, burglaries and attempted break ins prompt call for urgent change

Far North Queensland leaders are calling for additional police resources, as car thefts skyrocket and one long standing MP says he’s never seen crime so bad. WATCH THE VIDEO.

Far North Queensland leaders are calling for additional police resources, as car thefts skyrocket and one long standing MP says he’s never seen crime so bad.

As social media lit up over the past 48 hours with reports of stolen cars, burglaries and attempted break-ins, one Parramatta Park woman suffered a terrifying ordeal while riding home from work.

Grace Nathalia, 29, rode her electric scooter home from work late on Sunday night, before she was stopped by a car full of people.

“As I crossed the train line a silver sedan pulled over on the wrong side of the road and stopped in front of me,” Ms Grace said.

“I had no choice but to stop.

“I knew something was wrong and screamed.”

In a video of the ordeal captured by her neighbour and posted online, a panicked “help … help” is all that can be heard across the dark streets.

The shirtless criminal fled off with the stolen e-scooter at roughly 10.50pm on Monday night. Photo Erika Thomas.

Left without any option, Ms Nathalia fled on her scooter.

“I rode home as quickly as I could … left my scooter in the front yard and shut the gate behind me.” Ms Nathalia said.

Moments later, the video depicts an individual kicking open the gate with a bang, running into her yard, and making off with her e-scooter.

“I am very frightened … I am too scared to sleep at my house right now.”

Police confirmed five vehicles were reported stolen on Monday night, January 13, which brought the total car thefts in 2025 to 58 cars.

That’s roughly the same figure as was stolen across the entire month of January last year.

Federal member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said crime in the region was out of control.

“I’ve never ever seen the level of crime being carried out in the region being carried out now,” Mr Entsch said.

“The deliberate destruction of property is nothing I’ve ever experienced.

“Bloody young ones smashing windows just to get a chocolate bar … something needs to be done.”

In a statement Mayor Amy Eden said council acknowledged the issue was serious and invested heavily to improve security concerns, but a small cohort of offenders continued to cause issues.

“This small, hardcore cohort is responsible for about 80 per cent of youth crime, and we need to stop them from influencing their peers,” Mayor Eden said.

“As Cairns is a hot spot for youth crime, we would welcome the chance to work with the Premier and his government to make our city a priority and be a place of pilot programs for further improvements.

“We need to work together to keep our community safe.”

Cairns Mayor Amy Eden acknowledged that crime continued to persist in the community despite a $5 million investment from council to improve public safety. Picture: Brendan Radke

Acting Detective Inspector of Cairns City Crime Group Cindy Searle said there were “peaks and troughs” with the number of stolen vehicles in any given year and police would always welcome additional resources.

“We can’t really say comparatively to last year whether it’s better or what we’re looking at trend-wise,” she said.

“I can say last year we are around the same numbers that we had at the end of January last year, currently at the moment in the middle of the same month, so we are seeing a greater number.

“One thing that police do well is they make really effective use of the resources they have, but I don’t think there’s an industry or a service in the world that would knock back any more resources if they became available.”

In December 2024, the newly elected Crisafulli government introduced ‘adult crime, adult time’ legislation.

But as cases slowly filter through the justice system, some in the community have called for extreme actions like bringing in the army or introducing a curfew.

CEO of Cairns Chamber of Commerce Patricia O’Neil said there could be a middle ground.

“Businesses are telling us that staff are terrified, particularly around retail and the CBD area,” Ms O’Neil said.

“Bolstering up a police presence always makes people feel safe.

“We have proven time and time again that when there is a strong police presence, crime reduces.”

Despite calls for a greater police presence on the ground, some in the community think broader reform is the only way out.

Mr Entsch said the status quo wasn’t working, and welcomed proposals like those from Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation that sought to rehabilitate and separate offenders rather than just lock them up.

“You don’t arrest yourself out of these problems … you have to take them [offenders] out of the community entirely,” Mr Entsch said.

“It’s not rocket science … part of it has to an educational component.

“That way the local community becomes part of the voice.”

Federal MP for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said crime across the region was out of control. The longstanding MP called for a rethink on how youth crime was approached. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Katter’s Australia Party Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto agreed reformative punishments were the way forward, but argued the adult crime, adult time laws didn’t go far enough.

“They’re not concerned about incarceration … especially if you’re going to Cleveland Bay Detention Centre, it’s is like a holiday camp for these kids,” he said.

“Our relocation sentencing policy is essentially about sending young kids to remote locations for six to 12 months to reform.

“You might actually turn some of these young lives around if you put some decent time into these kids.”

Originally published as Stolen cars, burglaries and attempted break ins prompt call for urgent change