Gold Coast youth crime: Suburbs changing as frightened residents invest in security

High walls, CCTV systems, private security. The youth crime crisis is changing the face of suburbs where residents say they are ‘under siege’.

This columnist visited an estate in the northern Gold Coast recently that has been scene of repeated car thefts.

The area is hit time and time again for two reasons: It’s both reasonably well-off, meaning many residents own vehicles attractive to thieves; and it’s very close to an M1 exit, meaning offenders have a quick and easy way to speed off towards Logan with any cars they might steal.

Driving into this estate, it was almost immediately obvious that it was a place where crime was a problem. Almost every house had high walls around it.

Intercoms at the gates were the only way to communicate with the people inside.

It made for a little but of an unfriendly vista in an otherwise very scenic area.

A crime forum at The Surrounds in Helensvale. Picture: Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden.

Neighbours at the estate told me that ten years ago, there are was not like this, and indeed many of the walls and security devices looked like they were recently built.

Another northern Gold Coast estate, more recently established, may be heading the same way.

Residents at The Surrounds in Helensvale last Thursday held a crime forum to discuss their options after suffering a spate of robberies in the past six months.

Bonney MP Sam O’Connor, who attended the meeting, said residents had been frightened by the nature of the robberies.

Highlighting the point, there was even a serious incident on the day of the forum, when five people with their faces concealed attempted to break into a house in the estate at 3am in the morning, terrifying the occupants.

A young offender carrying a 'Rambo-style' knife during an attempted break-in at Broadbeach Waters. Picture: Gold Coast Patrol Dogs K9 Security.

A man caught on CCTV leaving a Gold Coast home with an arm full of clothing. Picture: supplied

Mr O’Connor said residents at the packed meeting were focused on how they could improve their security and were planning to set up a Neighbourhood Watch group.

Councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden has promised council will deploy a mobile high resolution CCTV camera at the entrance to the estate, saying the area had been “under siege” recently.

The prospect of hiring a private firm to conduct patrols was discussed.

“It’s a fairly close knit area,” Mr O’Connor said.

“The nature of the incidents have worried people. It’s frightened them.”

Bonney MP Sam O’Connor. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

The problem is everywhere. And while most thefts are at night, increasingly, people are also losing their cars in the middle of the day.

This columnist spoke to a man whose car was stolen from outside his home in Labrador at 11am on Saturday. CCTV showed that the thieves had been casing out his street for some time, driving up and down every couple of minutes, waiting for someone to slip up.

The car hasn’t been seen
since, although it has since passed multiple times through toll points in the Logan area.

Petty theft of other items is also an issue. In the weekend just passed, this column has heard of two scooters belonging to a three-year-old and four-year-old being stolen from the front of a house in Coomera; flower boxes being stolen from a house in Labrador and gas bottles being stolen from a camper trailer in Helensvale.

These are minor crimes that will probably never make police statistics, but are infuriating to victims.

We truly do appear to be entering a phase where, in the words of an old cliche, if it’s not bolted down it’s gone.

A South African friend who was recently victim of a home invasion told this column the experience reminded her of her home country.

We’re a long way from that level yet. It’s important to keep some kind of perspective and note that crime rates are far lower here than they are in places like Townsville, and indeed to than in most cities in the Western world. The Gold Coast, well served by a professional police force, is an immensely safe place to live.

But yet, when you have walls and security systems going up around suburban homes, when thieves are so brazen, something fundamental seems to have changed.

It’s a sad and troubling sight to see.

Follow @keithjwoods

Originally published as Gold Coast youth crime: Suburbs changing as frightened residents invest in security