Taskforce Guardian arrests 29 teens in Cairns over 100 charges

Twenty-nine teens have been arrested for 100 offences in just seven days as part of a crackdown on youth crime in Cairns.

Twenty-nine teens have been arrested in relation to 100 offences in just seven days as part of a crackdown on youth crime in Cairns.

Taskforce Guardian – a response team comprising investigators from the State Flying Squad and youth justice workers – and local police made the arrests across the Tablelands, Cairns and Edmonton.

Taskforce Guardian targets youth offenders in Cairns with 100 charges laid over seven days in the region. Picture: QPS

Detective Inspector Jason Chetham said the visit had boosted his resources.

“This is the second time they’ve been to Cairns in about a month,” he said.

“It provides us with additional resources to investigate outstanding and fresh offences and also youth justice staff are able to engage immediately with those young offenders identified.”

Inspector Chetham said Taskforce Guardian would be back in Cairns within the next few months.

“We have a great relationship with the Flying Squad and Taskforce Guardian and we will be visited regularly by them,” he said.

Taskforce Guardian targets youth offenders in Cairns with 100 charges laid over seven days in the region. Picture: QPS

The visit coincided with significant reductions in reported property crime over the past few days.

“We’ve had several days where reported break and enters have been in the single digits overnight,” Inspector Chetham said.

“The public are aware of the steps they can take to secure their property, I think the message is out there, and we’ve been very relentless in pursuing property crime offenders.

“We’re not going to stop, we’re not happy with that, but it’s certainly down on where they have been.

“It just requires a continuing response from us and that’s what you’ll get.”

According to police crime map data, there have been 1883 unlawful entries in the past six months across the Cairns region.

This is down from 2174 unlawful entries in the six months previous.

A Cairns resident, who wished to stay anonymous, said they did not feel safe after an attempted break-in at their apartment Thursday morning.

“I live on a main road that is well lit and secure and even that doesn’t provide any actual security,” they said.

“I think we’re running out of options and the majority of people are almost expecting the worst case scenario.”

Inspector Chetham said the taskforce’s efforts to engage positively with non-offending youths had been well received.

“We find that when they do engage, we generally get positive outcomes,” he said.

“It’s an ongoing effort for us to get them into positive programs, like the Midnight Hoops, but we are getting kids into all those programs.”

The taskforce is part of a $446mn state government project to tackle youth crime.

Originally published as Taskforce Guardian arrests 29 teens in Cairns over 100 charges