‘Concerning, alarming, frightening’: Youth crime trend going viral

Fed up residents are calling out youth crime in the Toowoomba region, after a disturbing new online trend has started on social media platforms.

Prince Lo and Kat Lynn are concerned over rate of vandalism occurring and the act is being recorded on video. Thursday, October 21, 2021. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Residents of the Toowoomba region are calling for action after a concerning online trend that sees young people film themselves committing crimes, has taken off.

Highfields resident and business owner Kat Lynn said she believed youth crime was on the rise with many instances of vandalism, public nuisance and theft being reported.

She said a recent act of careless destruction occurred when a young person allegedly kicked in the door of a training room at Peacehaven Park.

Prince Lo and Kat Lynn are concerned over rate of vandalism occurring and the act is being recorded on video. Thursday, October 21, 2021. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Youth worker Prince Lo said he had seen multiple videos of teens offending, which had been uploaded on social media platforms Facebook, Tik Tok and Snapchat.

He said he had also heard cases of young people smashing windows, damaging people’s property and stealing and setting fire to cars in the region.

“From my experience in working with young people, some think vandalism is cool and a way to be accepted, but it’s not cool and there are much better ways to impress your peers,” Mr Lo said.

“It’s a very concerning, alarming and frightening trend that is not just happening in Highfields, but Toowoomba too.”

Kat Lynn and Prince Lo are concerned over rate of vandalism occurring and the act is being recorded on video. Thursday, October 21, 2021. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The pair said by taking a collaborative approach and working alongside school leaders, police and the community to implement educational sessions and a crime prevention campaign, it would be a step in the right direction.

“For whatever reasons, some youth feel it’s OK to go around and damage someone’s hard earned work or the community’s facilities and record it for the purpose of self-gratification and fame on digital platforms,” Ms Lynn said.

“I think there’s an opportunity to create social awareness and engage school leaders to get that message across that this behaviour isn’t OK … ultimately if adults try and tell a group of teenagers what not to do, they’re just going to laugh.”

Prince Lo and Kat Lynn are concerned over rate of vandalism occurring and the act is being recorded on video. Thursday, October 21, 2021. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Toowoomba Crime Prevention Unit Sergeant Tony Rehn said police had been delivering programs in schools on a range of topics.

“Major offences young people are engaging in is entry of buildings … from this they are taking portable items such as wallets, bags, keys, phones and other electronic items,” he said.

“People engaged in criminal behaviour have long bragged about it with their peers (and) at the current time the prolific availability of social media platforms makes it easy to broadcast this very fast.”

The public is encouraged to keep vehicles and houses secured and locked. Phone Policelink on 131 444.