Queensland Police Service charge 80 people with 228 offences in Cairns and Townsville during blitz

Taskforce Guardian officers have charged 80 people with 228 offences, mostly stolen vehicles and break-ins, across North Queensland. WATCH THE VIDEO

Following deployments in Townsville and Cairns, Queensland Police Service’s Taskforce Guardian officers have charged 80 people with 228 offences.

During the deployment to Townsville between August 19 to 30, police arrested 36 people including 29 young people on 89 and five adults on six offences.

In Cairns police arrested 42 young people on 131 charges and two adults on two offences from August 30 to September 6.

Queensland Police Services said most of the offences were in relation to property crime including stolen vehicles and break-ins, as well as bail compliance.

On September 2, Taskforce Guardian officers and police from the Cairns Tactical Crime Squad arrested five young people after an allegedly stolen Hyundai Kona was abandoned in Gordonvale.

It is alleged the group had been travelling in a stolen Mitsubishi AXS as well as a Mazda CX-5, which were affected by tyre deflation devices near Behana, before fleeing the vehicles and entering the Hyundai. It is then alleged that members of the group were involved in a break and enter and stealing offices across Manoora, Bentley Park and Gordonvale.

Taskforce Guardian has made 80 arrests across Townsville and Cairns.

An 18-year-old man, 14-year-old boy, 17-year-old boy and two 17-year-old girls have been charged with a total of 23 offences and were scheduled to appear in the Cairns Childrens and Magistrates Courts. The 17-year-old boy was dealt with under the Youth Justice Act.

Consisting of police and expert youth justice workers working with local police, Taskforce Guardian aims to tackle youth offending and strengthen safety in the community by conducting patrols, targeted investigations and joint operations including bail check, community and family engagement. Youth Crime Taskforce Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham said saturating North Queensland communities was a priority for Taskforce Guardian.

Taskforce Guardian has made 80 arrests in Townsville and Cairns. Photo: QPS

“The arrests of several serious repeat youth offenders during these deployments is just one example of how local police are working for our community, by taking proactive action to keep them safe,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Massingham said.

“We have a raft of proactive enforcement, engagement and prevention strategies happening in communities across the state to prevent at-risk young people from committing offences, to investigate and hold perpetrators to account, seek justice for victims and to be a high visibility presence in communities to keep the public safe.”

“Local police in Cairns and Townsville work tirelessly to arrest offenders and the Taskforce aims to support their ongoing efforts, with extra boots on the ground.”

Queensland Police said since Taskforce Guardian began in May 2023 more than 1777 young people have been arrest on 5230 offences, with 778 diverted from the youth justice system.

Originally published as Queensland Police Service charge 80 people with 228 offences in Cairns and Townsville during blitz