Calypso Bay community fight northern Gold Coast crime spree

“Baseball bat beside their bed”: Residents of an exclusive Gold Coast suburb are taking matters into their own hands after a string of daylight and armed break-ins. SEE THE STORY.

Residents of an exclusive Gold Coast suburb are taking matters into their own hands after a string of daylight and armed break-ins they say have left them “sitting ducks”.

Residents Chris Varkoly and David Zuegn. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The northern community of Calypso Bay in Jacobs Well have banded together to form an online neighbourhood network, sharing CCTV and urging other neighbours to install alarm systems and cameras after a stream of home invasions.

Some residents are concerned the brazen robberies are a result of a lack of police presence in the area.

David Zuegn and Chris Varkoly run the community watch Facebook group which has amassed 1000 members.

“Policing here is non-existent – we’re sitting ducks,” Mr Zuegn said.

“Most of the residents I talk to now and especially in the last four weeks have a baseball bat beside their bed.

Waterfront properties in Calypso Bay.

“We’ve had four break-ins in the last two weeks that we know of,” Mr Varkoly added.

“One where a group came in and smashed the window to someone’s home – one of the guys was armed with a knife or screwdriver – either way you’re doing damage with it.

“These guys then attempted another home climbing up onto someone’s balcony in Jacobs Well. They have all the time in the world because there’s no police response.”

CCTV footage shared by the Calypso Bay community in their online neighbourhood watch group.

Mr Varkoly said another break-in was captured on CCTV in broad daylight between 8.20am – 9am with a child seen sitting in the back of a car involved.

Mr Zuegn and Mr Varkoly said residents have also reported attempted car jackings as they’ve exited their homes in the middle of the day.

“We had a Range Rover driving around for four hours – it went to a person exiting a house to try and carjack them and snatch her hand bag at the front door at midday,” Mr Zuegn said.

“Where are the cops? I’ve never seen a police car in our area and I moved here two and a half year’s ago.”

CCTV footage shared by Calypso Bay community of car allegedly used for the daylight break-in

Currently the area is served by a Police Beat in Jacobs Well between 6am-3pm on weekdays.

Due to the retirement of one officer, the Jacobs Well Police Beat had been left with a single officer, however a spokesperson for the Queensland Police Service confirmed the vacancy had recently been filled.

Outside of Police Beat hours the area is serviced by Pimpama Police Station – a 15 minute drive “at best”.

Coomera MP Michael Crandon said the station was heavily understaffed.

Member for Coomera Michael Crandon MP. Picture: Tertius Pickard

“The whole northern Gold Coast community fought hard for another police station and we got that in early 2022 with Pimpama station which delivered an additional 36 police officers,” he said.

“But we’re now down to around 75 per cent of that number because they’re robbing Peter to pay Paul moving police around.”

A spokesperson for Queensland Police Service confirmed property offences over the last month had increased in the Jacobs Well/Calypso Bay area with eight offences reported in three weeks.

Security point at the entrance of Calypso Bay. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The Roche Group behind Calypso Bay confirmed a security guard did patrols of the growing community “to act as a visible deterrent”. Once completed the project will include 1400 luxury homes, 840 apartments and house over 5500 people.

Residents said they fully acknowledge police pressures but “things needed to change” for their community.

Residents Chris Varkoly and David Zuegn. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“There’s only so much a security officer can do,” Mr Zuegn said.

“We’ve all worked hard for our houses, people are getting touched up in their own homes and we’re fed up. We need to fight it. We’ve started our own patrols, sharing everything we can and keeping our fingers on the pulse. The people are fed up and the community is taking charge.”