Townsville crime: Break-ins soar 70 per cent, car thefts jump 87 per cent in a decade

Sleepless nights and shattered nerves are becoming the norm for victims of crime in Townsville, as the city wrestles with a 70 per cent spike in break-ins over the past decade. Check out the crime data breakdown.

Sleepless nights and shattered nerves are becoming the norm for victims of crime in Townsville, as the city wrestles with a 70 per cent spike in break-ins over the past decade.

Police data shows the number of unlawful entry offences soared from 3,204 in 2013 to 5,474 in 2023, signalling a growing concern for the community and police.

Car thefts have also surged by 87 per cent, while violent break-ins have become more frequent, with 59 more cases of unlawful entry with violence over the same period.

Kirwan resident Julie Vigor knows this nightmare all too well. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, her home was hit by thieves for the second time in less than ten years.

This time, the young offenders made off with her 19-year-old son’s brand new Hyundai i30 sedan and her own Toyota Camry, which she was just about to finish paying off.

Kirwan mum Julie Vigor has found herself at the mercy of car thieves for the second time in less than a decade. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Julie was left devastated when her car was found in Vincent, smashed to bits by the young joy-riders who had crashed into a traffic light.

In a cruel twist of fate, the Camry had replaced another car that was stolen from her and wrecked back in 2016.

“I love Townsville, and I do what I can to give back to the community with the Sensational Girls Network, but I can’t help but feel let down when things like this just keep happening,” Ms Vigor said.

A single vehicle crash at the intersection of Nathan St and Fulham Road in Vincent on Tuesday morning. Picture: Snapchat

“Something needs to change. It’s just not getting through to these young people.

“We work so hard for our property, like our own cars, and I don’t think they understand how that feels, which is why they care so little about taking them.”

The stolen car belonging to Julie’s son was also involved in a crash in Kirwan on Wednesday.

Townsville police have advised residents to be vigilant and reassess their home security in order to prevent break-ins, which are often caused by open or unlocked doors and windows.

They recommend installing and using key-operated locks on doors and windows and avoiding placing keys in obvious spots like under doormats.

Additionally, ensure alarms are functional and mark valuable items with engravings or microdots.

It comes as the demand for security cameras in Townsville explodes, with one business recording a 90 per cent increase in demand for installations over recent years.

Digging into crime data from as far back as 2001 reveals that March is consistently the worst month for break-ins in Townsville, not the high-risk holiday periods you might expect.

On average, March sees 362 unlawful entries, ahead of January and May, which are tied for second with 328 each.

Originally published as Townsville crime: Break-ins soar 70 per cent, car thefts jump 87 per cent in a decade