Inspector Paul James condemns looting in Townsville, Ingham after major floods

Looting reports in Townsville and disaster-struck Ingham have been condemned as clean-up begins.

Photographs from the flooding disaster in Ingham, Hinchinbrook, North Queensland, on Wednesday. Picture: Cameron Bates

North Queensland Police Service Inspector Paul James has condemned reports of looting in Townsville and disaster-struck Ingham.

The officer blasted the “low acts” in the aftermath of historic, deadly flooding and widespread suffering.

He confirmed there had been two reported cases in Townsville and one in Ingham, which remains without power although water has been restored.

“Unfortunately most theft is opportunistic, it does happen unfortunately some time (although) Ingham is not really a place that is known for its crime in that way,” he said.

“But unfortunately these things do happen; sometimes its people stealing things; sometimes it’s just people using other stuff that they appropriate for themselves because they need fuel or whatever the need is.”

He said there had been no reported arrests but police would now be able to step up patrols.

“We’ve been quite limited in where we can go obviously, but those patrols will be expanded with additional police being able to get out with the roads open.”

North Queensland Police Service Inspector Paul James. Photographs from a news conference at the Ingham Fire Station in flood-struck Eleanor St, Hinchinbrook, North Queensland. Picture: Cameron Bates

Insp James said he appreciated it was a “very difficult time” for people in Ingham.

“A lot of people have been without power for a long time and living conditions have been very ordinary, you haven’t been able to go anywhere, the roads have been closed, they’ve lost power, they’ve lost communications,” he said.

“It’s been a very difficult time and I can understand that people have been very frustrated by that.”

Insp James said the main message from police is that “things will improve a lot over the next couple of days, obviously as the water gets down and the power gets on, the roads open, things will improve a lot more,” he said.

“We’d just like people to keep their calm at the moment, it’s very important that we can concentrate on those infrastructure issues and not have to worry about the civil and social issues.”

Insp James confirmed that a large amount of police resources had been tied up in an unsubstantiated search on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning after reports “looking for a person that was seen going past the road closed sign and being swept away in the floodwater”.

He said the reports were that a person had entered floodwaters on Cooper St, Ingham about 5.30pm.

“We’re satisfied that that person is not in any danger but obviously when that is reported we have to put a lot of time and resources into.”

He said additional witnesses had confirmed the person had been able to get out of the floodwaters at a second location.

He urged the man to come forward to police.

Insp James said he had no additional information on the second confirmed flood-related death after the body of an elderly woman was found in a cane field in Bemerside north of Ingham.

Insp James said “we’re still in an emergency situation and still in a dangerous environment out there.”

“We really don’t want to see a really avoidable disaster happen because people are sick of being cooped up at home and they want to get out.”

Originally published as Inspector Paul James condemns looting in Townsville, Ingham after major floods