Rochedale South residents terrorised by armed gang trying to break into homes

Residents of a suburb in Brisbane’s south are too scared to walk their children to school after a group of hooded offenders was caught on film stalking local streets in broad daylight with machetes, knives and crowbars. 

A person captured on CCTV footage at Rochedale South, where residents fear for their safety.

Residents of a suburb in Brisbane’s south are too scared to walk their children to school after a group of hooded offenders was caught on film stalking local streets in broad daylight with machetes, knives and crowbars. 

Footage obtained by The Courier-Mail shows the armed group checking the front doors of homes at Rochedale South.

The Courier-Mail understands the group has targeted multiple homes and was still on the run.

Police investigations are continuing.

Residents have expressed fears about A person captured on CCTV footage at Rochedale South, where residents fear for their safety.

Local man Damion Douglass said he had received a flood of reports from locals to his community patrol group about the group.

“We received that surveillance and immediately we sent that information on to police,” Mr Douglass said. 

“The reports came from frightened residents at home with children, and they were also worried about walking their kids to school, and they wanted to know if it was going to be okay.

“They were breaking into homes, walking down the street with machetes and one report of a steel metal bar.” 

A masked person caught on security camera in Rochedale South.

Mr Douglass said while his community-led patrol group, which was formed online, has foiled a few break-ins, he does not want to continue to take “matters into his own hands”.

“We are not getting any communication from the police … we are not hearing from our local member, what’s going on, what’s the plan?”

Mr Douglass said his group had grown to 2700 members with volunteers who monitoring streets of interest.

“We are impressed with the turnout. These people are pretty scared,” he said.

“We are to the point where security companies are contacting us and asking where we can help? The reason people are contacting us is because they are scared of retribution.”

Originally published as Rochedale South residents terrorised by armed gang trying to break into homes