Toowoomba suburb ranked from safest to most dangerous

In-depth data and graphs paint a picture of how crime has developed in different suburbs across Toowoomba over the past several years, and there’s one suburb where criminals clearly have in their sights.

New data released by the Queensland Police Service show the Toowoomba suburbs that have been hit hardest by youth crime.

The CBD, Newtown, Kearney Springs, are the top suburbs that were targeted by teenage criminals throughout 2022 and 2023.

While the rate of crime has risen and fallen in most suburbs, the CBD and Newtown were consistently high, with 1053 offences committed by teens in the CBD in 2022 and 2023, and 487 offences across the same years in Newtown.

Total youth crime offences, Toowoomba, 2019-2023

The crime rate in Wilsonton, Middle Ridge East Toowoomba, Glendale, Kearneys Spring Range and Newtown spiked in 2022 but has since returned to its long-term average.

Meanwhile, Middle Ridge has consistently trended upwards, from 38 offences in 2019 to 159 in 2023.

Youth crime, offences of violence, 2019-2023

Last year it ranked fourth in terms of the total number of offences, behind the CBD, Newtown, and Kearneys Spring.

Our safest suburbs are Torrington, Charlton, Prince Henry Heights and Mt Kynoch.

The data relates to offences that were proven to have been committed by a juvenile offender aged between 10 and 17 years, and where those offenders were either arrested, served with a caution, a notice to appear in court, a community conference order, a summons or a warrant.

A spokesman for Police Minister Mark Ryan said the drop in the crime rate from 2022 to 2023 was the result of a range of police operations and programs.

Youth crime, property offences, 2019-2023

“Operation Whiskey Unison deploys extreme high-visibility police patrols across the Toowoomba region,” he said.

“Taskforce Guardian deploys experienced detectives to locations based on police intelligence and this Taskforce has been deployed successfully to Toowoomba.

“Operation Whiskey Legion involves a surge in specialist police officers to locations to assist local police prevent and disrupt crime.

“All of these measures are aimed at driving down crime, and the Queensland Police Service advises they are producing significant results.”