Mapped: Theft skyrockets, see the Qld suburbs thieves are targeting

Mobile phones and smart watches are the items thieves are targeting as an electronic crime wave crashes over the southeast, after the highest theft victim count since 1995. SEE THE MAP

Queensland has recorded its highest number of victims of thefts since the time series began in 1995. Picture: File

Queensland is rising as the country’s pilfering capital with electronics, including smart phones, iPads, game consoles and smart watches, on top of thieves’ hit lists.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics annual data released in July, showed the state recorded its highest number of victims of thefts since the time series began in 1995.

There was a whopping 20 per cent increase in the recorded number of victims of thefts, with 151,501 reported, up by a stunning 25,107 people compared to the previous year.

The number of victims of unlawful entry with intent also rose in the year, escalating by 6 per cent, or 9649 victims, to 160,885.

Burglary and unlawful entry with intent statistics from global data bank Automatic Technology and the Queensland Police Service show that trend looks like continuing.

For southeast Queensland, for the first six months of 2024, Automatic Technology data showed a rise in unlawful entry with intent with electronics being the main target.

Brisbane’s top 25 suburbs for unlawful entry with intent: Picture: Automatic Technology

The data highlighted the critical need for enhanced security measures in Brisbane’s high-risk suburbs of Rocklea, Fortitude Valley and South Brisbane as well as Park Ridge in Logan, Ipswich Central, Caboolture in Moreton and Ormiston in Redland.

Rocklea, with a population of 1672, led the burglary rate in the southeast with a staggering 16.15 incidents per 1000 residents.

Electronics were the primary target with 27 reported burglaries including four laptop computers and 11 smartphones.

Stones Corner was also high on the list with a burglary rate of 15.41 per 1000, recording 36 thefts predominantly during the afternoon to early evening hours.

Fortitude Valley and Brisbane CBD, two of the city’s more densely populated areas, had high burglary rates of 14.42 and 14.06 per 1000 residents, respectively.

Fortitude Valley had 140 incidents and Brisbane CBD 177 with electronics the top stolen item taken during the peak burglary times in the late afternoon.

The trend was consistent across suburbs including Seven Hills and Woolloongabba, which had burglary rates of 12.08 and 11.63, focusing heavily on electronics.

If you live in South Brisbane, where the population is 14,292, lock up your smart TVs and gaming consoles.

The suburb reported the highest number of electronic thefts at 162 incidents, primarily occurring between 2pm and 10pm, which equated to a burglary rate of 11.34 per 1000 residents.

In contrast, suburbs such as Sunnybank Hills and Chermside, with burglary rates of 6.97 and 9.36 per 1000 residents, showed a preference for jewellery thefts.

LOGAN

Logan’s top 25 suburbs for unlawful entry with intent. Picture: Automatic Technology

Businesses and homeowners were advised to bolster their electronic security systems in Park Ridge where there have been 114 unlawful entries this year until the first week in August with the majority between 2pm and 10pm.

Slacks Creek had 132 incidents with 27 in broad daylight but also showing a similar peak in early evening burglaries with smart TVs and tablets the most stolen items.

In contrast, cash was the primary target in Beenleigh and Meadowbrook.

In Underwood, of the 85 unlawful entries, 56 occurred between 2pm and 10pm.

Tools rather than electronics were the most commonly stolen item in Boronia Heights and Mundoolun, two of the less affected areas of Logan, with notably lower burglary rates.

IPSWICH

Ipswich’s top 25 suburbs for unlawful entry with intent. Picture: Automatic Technology

Ipswich, a key city in the southeast, is also facing significant burglary challenges, with the statistics from Automatic Technology and the Queensland Police Service also showing electronics were the primary target of theft.

The data for the first six months of the year, showed the suburb of Ipswich Central has had 29 unlawful entries so far this year, chalking up the highest burglary rate at 11.75 incidents per 1000 residents, with smart phones and smart watches stolen most frequently.

Ripley followed with a burglary rate of 9.56 per 1000 residents, recording 41 incidents, again with electronics being the most common target.

Booval and Riverview also reported high burglary rates, at 8.45 and 6.85 per 1000 residents with electronics including laptops being the primary items stolen.

Redbank, with a rate of 4.78 per 1000, showed a similar pattern.

Interestingly, while electronics were the most commonly stolen item overall, tools were the most stolen item in Rosewood and Walloon.

Peak Crossing and Thagoona reported no recorded burglary with intent incidents this year.

MORETON BAY

Moreton Bay’s top 25 suburbs for unlawful entry with intent. Picture: Automatic Technology

Brendale topped the list with a burglary rate of 6.13 per 1000 residents, with tools being the most frequently stolen item.

The suburb has experienced 19 unlawful entries so far this year according to data from Queensland Police Service and Automatic Technology, with most burglaries between 2pm and 10pm.

Residents of Newport, where there was a burglary rate of 5.87 per 1000, had 35 incidents of burglary with intent, with electronics high on the list of stolen items with one house losing an entire sound system.

Caboolture, a larger suburb with a population of 29,534, had a rate of 5.79 burglaries per 1000 residents, recording 171 incidents, Moreton’s highest.

Redcliffe and Lawnton also reported high rates of electronic theft, at 4.59 and 4.40 per 1000.

In contrast, the suburbs of Woody Point and Bellara had lower burglary rates but showed a significant focus on tools as stolen items. Woody Point, with a burglary rate of 3.30 per 1000, had 15 incidents, while Bellara reported seven, all involving tools.

Areas with lower burglary rates, such as Highvale and Delaneys Creek, had minimal reported incidents, with those suburbs also reporting a greater number of security cameras.

REDLAND

Redland’s top 25 suburbs for unlawful entry with intent. Picture: Automatic Technology

Ormiston topped the burglary rate list with 2.98 per 1000 residents with cash the most commonly stolen item, and 19 unlawful entries recorded so far this year.

Russell Island followed closely with a burglary rate of 2.97 per 1000 residents, but jewellery was the primary target, with 11 reported incidents on the island.

Nearby Macleay Island, however, had a low burglary rate as did the suburb of Sheldon.

Capalaba, a larger suburb with a population of 18,002, reported a burglary rate of 2.94 per 1000 residents with 53 unlawful entries and cash the most sought-after item.

Cleveland, with a population of 15,850, had a slightly lower burglary rate of 2.78 per 1000 but electronics including remote controls and home Google systems were the most frequently stolen items with 44 incidents reported.

In Birkdale, the burglary rate was 2.63 per 1000 residents with jewellery including watches stolen in 39 incidents.

Victoria Point had a rate of 1.98 per 1000 residents and registered 30 incidents, while Redland Bay, at 1.70, reported 29 burglaries.

Outdoor equipment including a tractor was stolen from Mount Cotton with Thornlands also recording a lower burglary rate.

Originally published as Mapped: Theft skyrockets, see the Qld suburbs thieves are targeting