Teenage crime spree grips Cairns overnight, after youth crime capital announcement

Assaults and car thefts were just the beginning, as local police spent 24 hours capturing numerous alleged teenage offenders.

Assaults and car thefts were just the beginning, as local police spent 24 hours capturing numerous alleged teenage offenders from Brinsmead to the Northern Beaches, just days after Cairns was named Queensland’s youth crime capital.

Assaults and car thefts were just the beginning, as local police spent 24 hours capturing numerous alleged teenage offenders from Brinsmead to the northern beaches, just days after Cairns was named Queensland’s youth crime capital.

The mayhem started with three teenage boys allegedly harassing staff members at a Cairns City business before they assaulted two men who came to their aid.

Police allege two 13-year-olds and a 15-year-old boy threw multiple stolen soft drink cans at two female staff members at a business near the corner of Lake and Shields Streets just after 4.30pm on Wednesday, December 18.

The boys then allegedly punched two men, several times, who came to the aid of the women.

City safe camera operators assisted police to locate the three boys, who gave chase after the boys fled.

All three teens were taken into custody with one of the boys allegedly in possession of a knife and suspected stolen car keys when arrested.

A stolen Mazda 3 reverses into the front of Chilli Mama Take Away in Whitfield in a separate, unrelated incident earlier this year. Picture: Supplied

Meanwhile, police charged a 14-year-old after he allegedly leaned out the window of a reportedly stolen vehicle and hit a 47-year-old man on the back of the head while he was riding his bicycle.

The incident happened on the afternoon of December 17 when the 47-year-old was cycling on Anderson Street, with the teen being arrested a day later.

Police also alleged the boy had been involved in several other incidents in the days leading up to the alleged head-whacking incident.

The 14-year-old allegedly broke into a residence in Westcourt, a bottle shop in Clifton Beach, and a business in Smithfield.

He will also be alleged to have taken part in several fuel drive-offs at North Cairns and Woree service stations.

Alleged teen car thieves caught on CCTV casing a Cairns property. File photo from previous break and enter earlier this year. Picture: Queensland Police

In a separate incident, a stolen Toyota LandCruiser was found abandoned near Kamerunga Road, with the alleged thief hiding in a nearby cane field.

Police successfully deployed a tyre deflation device in the early hours on December 19, after tracking down the stolen vehicle with a 14-year-old believed to be the culprit.

Authorities alleged he had been with a group of up to seven other people, also in the vehicle at the time it was abandoned.

It will be further alleged the 14-year-old had been involved with throwing rocks at a bus near Edmonton in the early hours of October 23.

He has been charged with one count each of unlawful use of motor vehicle in company at night damaged and endangering the safety of a person in a vehicle with intent.

He is due to appear before Cairns Children's Court on January 8, while investigations into the others who fled the abandoned vehicle are ongoing.

Breakdown of additional charges laid

The two 13-year-olds and a 15-year-old boy have been charged with a total of 19 charges consisting of nine counts of assault, three of wilful damage, three of stealing, and one count each of possess knife in public, possess suspected stolen property, and enter premises by break.

All three boys are due to appear before Cairns Children's Court next year on January 8.

Investigations into others involved in the incident are ongoing.

The 14-year-old boy who is alleged to have been involved in multiple incidents leading up to his arrest, including breaking into a residence in Westcourt, a bottle shop in Clifton Beach, and a business in Smithfield has been charged with two counts of unlawful use of motor vehicle, three counts of enter premises, four counts of stealing and one of assault.

He is due to appear before Cairns Children's Court next year on January 8.

Originally published as Teenage crime spree grips Cairns overnight, after youth crime capital announcement