Youth crime Toowoomba: Police launch tactical crime plan to stop youth thugs

Toowoomba Police have revealed their plan to stop youth offenders using the city’s Tactical Crime Squad, just days after a spat of teen criminals targeted elderly residents.

The heavy-hitting officers from the Darling Downs Tactical Crime Squad have been deployed to tackle unrepentant offenders who are making a mockery of the legal system.

They include a 17-year-old boy who was involved in a domestic disturbance within several hours of a magistrate granting his bail in Toowoomba Childrens Court, despite objections from the police prosecutor.

On Wednesday a 17-year-old boy was placed before the court after he was arrested in connection with the attempted armed robbery of a 89-year-old Middle Ridge man.

While it was his co-accused who was charged with pushing the elderly man to the ground, police had been searching for the boy for more than three weeks.

He was listed as a missing person, had a history of failing to appear in court and committed a string of burglaries and car thefts while on bail.

But despite strong objections from investigators the boy was granted fresh bail.

The Chronicle can reveal that police are back on the hunt for the boy after he was involved in an altercation.

But he is just one member of a small group of repeat offenders who are frustrating investigators and terrorising residents.

Senior Darling Downs Police have confirmed that 16 officers from the TCS were deployed to tackle youth crime in the region as of Thursday.

There have been several disturbing attacks on the seniors in Toowoomba in the past weeks.

They include the violent carjacking of a 76-year-old woman at Clifford Gardens Shopping Centre about 4pm on Wednesday.

Two teenage girls confronted the woman while she was in her Holden Cruze hatchback and demanded that she hand over the car.

When she refused, the girls dragged her from the vehicle, punched her several times in the head and fled south along Anzac Ave in the car.

It was sighted at 11.40am yesterday in Wilsonton and again at 1.45pm at the Puma Service Station on Taylor Street.

The initial police report indicates the girls attempted to refuel the car but fled on foot after they were confronted by an employee.

Investigators have recovered the car and are conducting a forensic examination.

Police are also searching for two young adults, a man and woman, who forced their way into a 65-year-old man’s home in Top Camp about 11.30pm on Wednesday, searching for a vehicle.

They are alleged to have belted the man in the face with an implement after he confronted them in his garage.

Luckily, the pair were unable to gain access to the man’s car and fled empty-handed.