Multiple knives found in police blitz on Gold Coast shopping centres as Jack’s Law expanded

Police conducting an operation at Gold Coast shopping centres have made a number of disturbing finds, with 17 people now facing a variety of charges.

Police on the Gold Coast have discovered a disturbing haul of knives on their first day using expanded powers under Jack’s Law.

Officers seized five weapons and charged 17 people with 27 offences during wanding operations under the law in locations including eight major shopping centres on Thursday.

Over the course of the operations 274 people were subject to metal detection scans, including 161 adults and 113 young people.

Among the people charged was a 38-year-old Southport man allegedly found with two box-cutters and a quantity of cannabis in his bag. He was charged with possessing a knife in a public place and possessing dangerous drugs.

A knife found in the possession of a woman at Pacific Fair. Image: QPS.

At approximately 8pm police allegedly found two knives in the possession of a 33-year-old Brisbane woman the stopped and wanded at Pacific Fair in Broadbeach.

She was charged with two counts of possession of a knife in a public place.

A knife was also allegedly found in the possession of a 41-year-old Nerang man when he was stopped and wanded at Broadbeach South tram stop at 4pm.

He was charged with possession of a knife in public place and is expected to appear before Southport Magistrates Court on October 10.

A knife found in the possession of a man at Broadbeach South tram station. Image: QPS.

The expansion of Jack’s Law to allow police to wand people in shopping centres came into effect on August 30.

Gold Coast District Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said results of the police operation on Thursday were an indication of the impact the expansion of the law will have in enhancing community safety.

“The seizure of five weapons in just a matter of hours shows how crucial Jack’s Law is in helping police reduce knife violence in our community,” Chief Supt Hanlon said.

“The response across our first day of wanding operations in shopping centres was overwhelmingly positive, and we’d like to thank the community and centres for their co-operation and support.

“Together we can take dangerous weapons off our streets and create safer public spaces for Gold Coasters and visitors to enjoy.”

Belinda Beasley, Gold Coast District Officer Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon and Australia Fair Centre Manager Ramon Otten at Australia Fair in Southport. Picture: Keith Woods.

‘SO MANY’ LIVES LOST TO KNIFE CRIME

Police have launched a major operation targeting knife crime in shopping centres using new powers granted under the expansion of laws named after a fatally stabbed Gold Coast teen.

Officers were deployed to eight major shopping centres across the Gold Coast on Thursday, wanding shoppers for weapons under Jack’s Law powers previously restricted to Safe Night Precincts and transport hubs.

Among shopping centres included in the blitz were Australia Fair, Pacific Fair, Robina Town Centre, Harbour Town, Westfield Coomera and Westfield Helensvale.

Speaking at Australia Fair in Southport Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said officers wanted the community to both feel safe and be safe when visiting the centres.

“The Queensland Police Service is dedicated to keeping the community safe and with the support of centre venues and the Beasley Foundation we’ll continue to wand throughout shopping centres not only across the Gold Coast but across Queensland,” he said.

“Shopping centres are an important expansion because that’s where people come to gather.

We want people to come here, feel safe, be safe, and know that we’re here to make sure that other people in the shopping centre won’t be carrying weapons.”

Police detain a person suspected of possessing drugs during wanding operations at Australia Fair in Southport. Picture: Keith Woods.

Chief Supt Hanlon said that since the enactment of Jack’s Law – named in honour of 17-year-old stabbing victim Jack Beasley – police on the Gold Coast had wanded more than 30,000 people, seized 223 weapons and arrested more than 700 people on almost 15,000 offences.

The expansion of the law to allow police to wand people in shopping centres came into effect on August 30.

Belinda Beasley said she was “really happy” to see the law bearing the name of her son - fatally stabbed in Surfers Paradise in 2019 - expanded to shopping centres and praised the “phenomenal” work being done by police.

“We’re really proud,” she said. “Jack’s Law is such an important thing. It’s not just for Jack, it’s for all the other lives that have been lost to knife crime. There’s so many and it just needs to stop.

“People need to understand the impact it has on so many people.”

Police conducting wanding operations at Australia Fair in Southport. The man pictured was not found to be carrying any items of concern. Picture: Keith Woods.

Australia Fair Centre Manager Ramon Otten said he believed the initiative would be welcomed by shoppers and centre staff.

“You often don’t know who might have a knife or a weapon so this is just another opportunity to make the centres safer,” he said.

“Most people will appreciate that.

“It’s not just often about the individual shopper. If you’ve got mum and dad with the kids, grandparents with their grandchildren, it’s the fact that they can come in and they’ve got confidence about it (safety).”

Mr Otten said he did not believe shoppers would be bothered by being stopped by police conducting wanding operations.

“If you’re not doing anything wrong then people shouldn’t be worried about these sort of initiatives,” he said.

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Originally published as Multiple knives found in police blitz on Gold Coast shopping centres as Jack’s Law expanded