‘Fed up’ Aussies terrorised by crime spree mobilise for night patrols

Almost 3000 people have joined a community group tracking crimes in their suburbs as police probe a series of robberies.

Thousands of Queenslanders have joined a community crime watch group to fight back against thugs who have been terrorising their neighbourhood.

Locals living in Brisbane’s south say they are “fed up” with thieves and knife-wielding intruders regularly breaking into their homes and businesses.

They have organised themselves into nightly patrols of hot spots, with the group’s founder saying he believes police “don’t have the time of resources” to tackle the level of crime.

Damion Douglass, founder of the Rochedale South crime watchers. Picture: Liam Kidston

Patrol sites for the group are shared online. Picture: Supplied

The almost 3000 members of the Rochedale South Neighbourhood Crime Watchers share security tips and updates on crimes as they are happening live in their streets.

“We feel the need to head out from about 8 to about 3 in the morning,” founder Damion Douglass told Today.

“We’re on a rotation where we feel we just if we don’t, we’re going to have more incidents.

“And, you know, people are scared. They’re just worried.”

Do you know more or have a similar story? Email: [e-mail]

CCTV footage has captured staff cowering in fear. Picture: Supplied/9 News

Queensland Police are investigating a spree of violent robberies across Brisbane in recent days with shocking CCTV footage capturing the terrifying incidents.

In one clip, armed men jump the counter of a service station before threatening a staff member and emptying cash and the contents of the cigarette cabinet into a plastic bin.

Footage of another robbery shows a female worker cowering in fear as a crook thrusts a crowbar towards her face.

Another incident on Wednesday saw an intruder chased from a Holland Park West home by a 91-year-old woman.

She told 9 News the thief stole precious items including her engagement ring and a watch given to her by her husband.

“I just ran after him and I thought I’d see where he is going. But we didn’t see it,” she said.

“He was too quick for us, you know.”

Queensland Police this week said it was investigating a series of armed robberies in the Logan and South Brisbane areas on Tuesday morning.

It said a vehicle stolen from a home in Carindale had allegedly been used to carry out several robberies in the space of a few hours.

They included an incident at Capalaba where various jewellery and electronics were stolen, and four break and enters at Eagleby, Underwood and Rochedale South.

A Brisbane petrol station being robbed this week. Picture: Supplied/9 News

Another break-in at a Eight Mile Plains home, where a woman was assaulted and threatened with a knife, is also believed to have been linked to the same gang.

“Police investigations are continuing into the offences and police are appealing for anyone with information or relevant vision to come forward,” the police said in a statement.

Detective Inspector Chris Knight told media on Thursday several specialist units were investigating the “crime series”, which he described as “complex”.

“Our response involves both investigative strategies plus … proactive and also disruptive strategies,” he said.

Acting Chief Superintendent Mark Thompson said the crime spree had taken place over a large area and intelligence cells had begun linking many of the incidents together.

Group members have installed security cameras.

Police are investigating a series of robberies in the area this week.

On the Rochedale South crime watch group’s Facebook page are images of masked people armed with knives and crowbars as they attempt to break into homes and cars.

Mr Douglass said “the straw that broke the camel’s back” in his motivation to start the group was the mugging of a boy who was walking home from school.

“You know, we’ve got kids and it could be youth (committing crimes) through the day,” he told Today on Thursday morning.

“But at night, these people are organised. So I thought, ‘you know what? We’re going to get organised’.

“We’re not a vigilante group by no means. But we’re fed up. We see very minimal police presence.”

He said community efforts could highlight the need for police to “step it up” in their community.

“We’re certainly not anti-police. We want to work with them,” Mr Douglass said.

“We have ears on the ground. Like we have people contacting us, giving us heads up before they’re even going to the police.”