Gunnedah crime wave: NSW town calls for 24-hour police as cars torched in TikTok craze

A regional town in the state’s northwest has seen a surge in youth crime – and it’s showing no signs of stopping. Find out what’s happening with our special investigation.

Gunnedah locals have been left frightened and desperate for a 24-hour manned police station as a crime wave grips their town. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A social media craze where young people post stolen cars on TikTok in Gunnedah is part of a wider problem of youth crime in the regions.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Pisanos told The Daily Telegraph Bush Summit that the TikTok craze was just one of the challenges police face in the bush.

“Youth crime is a major issue in regional communities…we’re seeing issues around serious youth crime…the age of criminal offending is shifting down younger,” he said.

“We just can’t arrest our way out of some of these complex societal problems,” he said.

“What we’ve become good at particularly in regional is working smartly…The biggest thing for us is continuing to invest in the diversionary space.”

A number of cars in Gunnedah have been stolen and set on fire, with video posted to social media. Picture: FRNSW Gunnedah

He said that police officers were often reluctant to be posted to regional areas but once they arrived they did not want to leave.

“The greatest incentive we have for our workers…is about lifestyle and community…and the civic leadership role police can play in small towns and communities.”

Gunnedah, in the state’s northwest, is in the midst of the worst crime wave it’s seen, and it’s showing no sign of slowing.

In the past week, six cars have been stolen from homes and set alight. A woman was stabbed outside a supermarket, two women driving in their car had a pistol pointed at them and a teenager pulled a gun inside a local McDonald’s restaurant.

Mayor Jamie Chaffey says the town desperately needs 24-hour policing to curb the problems and act as a deterrent to would-be criminals.

At 5am on Thursday, four juveniles lost control of a stolen Toyota Kluger pinched two hours earlier and slammed into a parked truck.

Youth crime in Gunnedah has skyrocketed. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Truck owners Colin and Julie Riley were woken by the crash outside their home.

“We thought there was an accident and someone had been hurt,” Ms Riley told The Daily Telegraph as the pair cleaned out Mr Riley’s damaged truck.

“It was pretty frightening … there have been incidents all around this area for quite a while. We are annoyed and fed up with it.”

The truck was hit by a stolen car on Thursday. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Gunnedah Shire Councillor Rob Hooke echoed the calls for around the clock policing, and largely blamed social media for the crime wave.

“It’s been driven by TikTok. They’re posting it on social media,” Cr Hooke said.

“The more expensive the car, the more points. It’s like a badge of honour.”

A community Facebook page lists crime each night, with many people posting anonymously because they’re “so scared”.

“After having my home broken into and three cars stolen on Saturday night, I just wanted to give a shout out to the Gunnedah community … particularly (a local business) who dropped everything and worked into the night to replace my front door and locals to ensure my family felt safe again,” Richard Hull wrote.

Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey. Picture: Jonathan Ng

One concerned mother posted a warning after her daughter was threatened with a gun while driving through town.

“Just a heads up to all Gunnedah locals … my daughter and her three friends were driving this evening … a boy in a red hoodie was in the middle of the road and wouldn’t move … as the girls swerved the boy pointed a gun at the car and motioned shooting at them,” the mother posted.

A TikTok craze has been blamed for the increase in cars being stolen and torched. Picture: FRNSW Gunnedah

Another mother posted the charred remains of her son-in-law’s ute and tools which were stolen and burnt out.

“When is someone going to stop this … a young man just trying to make a go at a carpentry career and the low lives take it all away from him,” Sue Haire said.

“There are so many people talking about how scared they are at nights especially when their partners are on night shift.”

Mr Chaffey says the statistics show the town needs 24-hour policing.

Under the current arrangement, the local police station is manned during the day, and after hours it is covered by other stations within the Oxley command.

“The increase in crime, specifically car thefts and breaking into homes and stealing from homes over the last 18 months in this community is really deeply disappointing,” Mr Chaffey said.

“As council we’ve been calling for 24-hour policing for ever since I can remember, before I joined Council, and that is falling on deaf ears at the moment.”

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Police and Counter-terrorism minister Yasmin Catley visited the region a fortnight ago in response to the growing crime. She said the “onus” was on residents to help address the problem.

“What we do need to do as owners is ensure we keep our property safe, that onus is on us,” Ms Catley said at the time.

On Thursday, Ms Catley said she would happily sit down with the NSW Police Force if it needs more resources.

“Deployments of police resources including station hours and staffing are primarily operational matters for the NSW Police commanders,” Ms Catley said.

A police officer told The Daily Telegraph the crime rate in the country town is “as bad as it’s been”.

“The cops there are exhausted, they’re doing everything they can but the courts don’t back us up … a lot of it is kids, but not all of it. We lock them up and next thing the courts let them out again, so what can we do?” the police officer said.

Gunnedah locals are calling for a police station that is manned 24 hours a day. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A business owner in the main street, too nervous to give his name for fear of retribution, said shops are largely left alone because of the CCTV cameras in the area. He said it’s mostly private homes being targeted.

“We’re all sick of it. It’s happening weekly, and about 99 per cent of it is just opportunistic,” the man said.

“They‘re (the perpetrators) giving cheek to the police and the citizens.”

NSW Police said: “Police will continue to work towards meeting the expectations of the local community to increase their safety and will continue to engage the community of Gunnedah to identify and address concerns that may exist or arise from time to time in the township.”

CAR THEFT AND DV ASSAULTS ON THE RISE, AS COUNTRY COPS SPEAK UP

Crime is up right across regional NSW since Covid, with domestic violence assaults and car theft at the top of the list for offences that have increased in the last two years.

Data from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) shows The Far West and Orana region has endured the biggest jump in motor vehicle theft with a 38.5 per cent increase between March 2021 and March 2023.

When it comes to domestic violence assault the Coffs Harbour region is home to the worst numbers in the state with a 23.1 per cent jump over the same time period.

Copping a double dose of punishment is the Hunter Valley, which saw a 31 per cent increase in motor vehicle thefts and a 14.1 per cent increase in domestic violence assaults.

Motor vehicle theft increased in every regional area where it was recorded in the past two years.

In addition to the jumps in the Far West and Orana, and Hunter Valley regions, in motor vehicle theft rose in New England and North West by 26.8 per cent, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie offences rose 29.9 per cent, and in the state’s Central West there was a 16.3 per cent rise.

One country cop told The Daily Telegraph one of the hardest parts of policing in the country was not being backed up by the courts when they do arrest offenders.

“We lock up juveniles who are running riot and then the courts have let them out the next day,” the source said.

“It’s demoralising for out young police, even I’ve had enough and I’m a veteran cop.

“Another issue is that the drug problem in country towns is just as bad as it is in the city, but we don’t have the resources in the community here to be able to combat it so it ends up becoming a policing problem.”

On top of the dramatic increase in domestic violence assaults in the Coffs Harbour region, there were also rises of 14.1 per cent in the Hunter Valley and 12.3 per cent in the Riverina.

In a statement, a NSW Police spokeswoman said they realised policing in the country was different to the city, but admitted car theft and domestic violence assaults were a “concern”.

“We know police in regional and rural NSW face different challenges to those in Metropolitan Sydney,” the spokeswoman said.

“The safety of the community is the number one priority for the NSW Police Force, we do all that we can and use all the resources at our disposal to ensure this.

“Property crime, including motor vehicle thefts, continues to be an ongoing concern.

“While the NSW Police Force and the community as a whole are making changes towards reducing DV offending, domestic violence is the most complex and challenging issue of our community.”

Originally published as Gunnedah crime wave: NSW town calls for 24-hour police as cars torched in TikTok craze