Seven teenagers charged after Cairns International Tennis Centre alleged break-in and car theft
Seven teenagers have been charged after allegedly smashing their way into a Cairns tennis centre and making off with a Tennis Queensland vehicle.
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Detectives from the Property Crime unit have charged seven teenagers with 23 offences following investigations into an alleged stolen vehicle incident in Cairns North on Monday, November 20.
It is alleged teens smashed their way into the Cairns International Tennis Centre shattering glass doors, helping themselves to ice-cream and making off with a new Tennis Queensland vehicle.
“It will be alleged at approximately 2am, the teenagers broke into a sporting facility along Sheridan Street, damaging a fence and smashing the glass doors, before leaving the scene in a stolen car,” a Queensland Police spokeswoman said.
“Following extensive police investigations, a 13-year-old Cairns North boy was arrested yesterday morning, November 20, and charged with one count each of enter premises and commit, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, publish on social media and unlawful possession of suspected stolen property.”
He is due to appear at Cairns Childrens Court tomorrow, November 22.
At approximately 4pm Monday, , police successfully deployed a tyre deflation device vehicle along Lyons Street at Westcourt after sighting the stolen vehicle.
The occupants allegedly left the scene on foot with officers apprehending five teenagers in a nearby carpark.
A 16-year-old Bentley Park girl was charged with one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
A 12-year-old Westcourt boy was charged with one count of enter premises and commit and two counts of possess dangerous drugs.
A 17-year-old Manunda girl was charged with one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle in company.
All three are due to appear at Cairns Childrens Court tomorrow, November 22.
A 14-year-old Cairns North boy was charged with one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle in company.
He was refused police bail, and is due to appear at Cairns Childrens Court today, November 21.
A 15-year-old Mooroobool boy was charged with one count each of enter premises and commit, unlawful use of a motor vehicle in company, unlicenced driving, resist arrest and stealing.
Police will further allege the boy stole fuel from a business at Cairns North at approximately 8am yesterday, November 20, before running from officers during an arrest last night.
He was refused police bail, and he is due to appear at Cairns Childrens Court today, November 21.
A 13-year-old Edmonton girl was charged one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle in company, stealing and common assault, and two counts of serious assault police.
It will be alleged the girl spat at police multiple times, stole property from a store before assaulting a member of the public during incidents over the past week.
She was refused police bail, and is due to appear at Cairns Childrens Court today, November 21.
The centre’s treasurer and Tennis Queensland board member Paul Horn said the tennis centre was broken into four times this year and most recently only a month ago, during their premier international tournament, with the thieves stealing alcohol.
“It’s our second in two months after they broke in during our pro tour event in October,” he said.
“We are pretty certain it is the same people as well as we can see them clearly in the CCTV footage.”
The offenders first cut their way through a chain-link fence before smashing their way through the glass doors with hammers.
“They brought hammers with them, smashed through the glass into the pro shop before using rackets from the shop to break through two further glass doors looking for cash and taking the keys to the car from an office,” Mr Horn said.
“They must have got hungry because they also stole a few Streets ice-creams while I think they must have been looking for our till and cash.”
The thieves then left the property in the stolen vehicle, a brand new Kia Sportage used by Tennis Queensland staff.
“It’s quite recognisable because it’s plastered in stickers and we have already had reports from numerous people who have spotted it out and around Cairns,” Mr Horn said.
The break-in has left the volunteers who run the centre extremely frustrated as they had already upped their security.
“We are going to have to pay to get this damage fixed up and I spent the night here because the building was no longer secure,” Mr Horn said.
“After the other break-ins we spent a lot of money updating our security including the CCTV and more security through a company, we are forking out more money to keep it secure so for it to happen again is just so damn frustrating and disappointing.
“There are kids that were coming in to train this morning and we need to ensure there is no glass and make sure it is safe again.”
Mr Horn said this kind of thing will keep happening until offenders are kept in jail.
“What will stop this from happening is people who do this actually going to jail,” he said.
“Until there are some actual consequences this thing will keep happening again and again.”
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Originally published as Seven teenagers charged after Cairns International Tennis Centre alleged break-in and car theft
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