Police will be out in force until latest Covid lockdown ends

Police have launched an operation to catch Lockyer Valley residents entering into Toowoomba for non-essential purposes, with thousands of dollars of fines already handed out. Details here.

Police will stop everyone driving up the Toowoomba Range as they ramp up efforts to keep the deadly Covid Delta strain out of the city.

Since police launched the operation on Monday, hundreds of vehicles have been stopped and their drivers quizzed on the reasons for travel at a static police stop at the top of the Toowoomba Connection Road.

Several people have already been hit with a $1300 fine for failing to comply with a direction from the chief health officer at the Toowoomba Connection Road static trap, while many more were turned around.

Toowoomba Police Station Officer-in-Charge Senior Sergeant Tony Neumann said police would conduct extra patrols and random intercepts in the city along with increased foot patrols of the major shopping centres.

Police check motorists for Covid compliance at the top of the range entry to Toowoomba. Picture: Kevin Farmer

On Friday they will swarm on the CBD Safe Night Precinct to catch any out-of-towners looking to wet their whistle at the local pubs and clubs.

“There is the temptation for the people in the hotspot areas to come to non-hotspot areas for a night out,” Sgt Neumann said.

“In a community like ours, this is where we will see Covid transmission.”

At the weekend, four out-of-towners were fined more than $5000 after they were caught partying in the CBD.

The police operation comes as 11 local government areas in Southeast Queensland are declared Covid hot spots.

They include the Lockyer Valley, Somerset and Scenic Rim and Ipswich.

Sgt Neumann sympathised with Lockyer Valley residents, some who live about 10 minutes from the Garden City CBD.

“They are so used to coming up the range,” he said.

“Withcott is like a suburb of Toowoomba, but they have to set the boundary somewhere.”

For now, Sgt Neumann said police would take an educational approach.

“For a lot of the people we had to turn around, their reasons for coming to Toowoomba were reasonable, but there is some lack of awareness of the situation,” he said.

Anyone found flouting the lockdown rules will be fined. Picture: Kevin Farmer

As of 10am yesterday, there were 100 confirmed Covid cases in Queensland – many of which are infected with the highly contagious Delta strain.

About 63 of these cases are linked to the Indooroopilly Delta cluster.

In 24 hours to 10am on Wednesday, 51,479 people were tested.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Deputy Premier Steven Miles called on all Queenslanders to abide by the lockdown rules.

“The onus is on the individual to have a reason to leave their home … now is not the time to buy outdoor furniture,” he said.

“I urge everyone to consider again whether the reason they’re leaving their home is a good one.

“You can’t go out because you need milk but stop and have a look at EB Games.”

This sentiment was echoed by Sgt Neumann who said the public could expect a highly visible police presence.

“The lockdown is in place at least until Sunday,” he said.

“While that stands, we will continue to devote what resources we can, as they are needed.

“If everyone does the right thing, we will get through it.”