Goondiwindi crime crisis: Investigations ongoing as border town lives in fear

The mayor of a border town recently plauged by a spate of violent offences has pleaded to the Queensland government for change. See the latest here.

A terrifying weekend of carnage in the Goondiwindi region has resulted in Queensland police deploying additional resources in a bid to end the reign of terror.

It was announced on Saturday evening additional police from around the Darling Downs were heading to Goondiwindi as the region’s ongoing crime spree intensified.

Stolen vehicles were just the beginning of what’s become a spate of increasingly violent offences spanning across the border and into NSW.

Since Thursday, a group has targeted motels and private properties across the border town, threatening people with machetes, stealing cars and abandoning and torching them only 5km away in NSW.

Goondiwindi mayor Lawrence Springborg OAM attended an urgent meeting on Tuesday with senior police from both Queensland and NSW to address the increasing violent crime in the community.

“I have confirmed with police that it is a small number of individuals that continue to be responsible for this disturbing behaviour, and that our community likely slips back to a safe and peaceful state while they are in custody,” he said in a press release.

It is understood Queensland police are continuing their investigations.

Premier Steven Miles on has since fast-tracked the appointment to Goondiwindi of a dedicated cross-border commissioner to help police operations between Queensland and NSW.

Goondiwindi mayor Lawrence Spirngborg OAM is calling on the Queensland Government to introduce harsher penalties for juvenile offenders. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

“While we commend our local police force for their tireless efforts and impressive

apprehension rates, my fellow councillors and I share the police’s deep frustration at the

consistent lack of meaningful consequences for these repeat juvenile offenders,” Mr Springborg said in a statement.

“It is evident that the current laws are failing our community. To effectively combat this ongoing problem, I am calling for urgent reforms to laws to ensure consequences for offenders.”

The issue of understaffed local police was also highlighted during the meeting, with Mr Springborg pledging his full support to the Queensland Police Commissioner to ensure the station returns to its full operational strength.

Mr Springborg said the recent violent juvenile crime was completely out of character for the community and deeply unacceptable.

“Our community deserves to feel safe and protected. The Queensland government must take decisive action on the laws relating to sentencing, release and monitoring of these offenders,” he said.

A crime spree has left Goondiwindi in shock as multiple armed robberies, including threats with knives, and stolen cars have ended up torched and abandoned in Boggabilla, 5km across the NSW border.

Darling Downs District Detective Acting Inspector Jason Kitto said on Monday a further incident had occurred at the weekend where the group of offenders were disturbed during an attempted break in.

“On the evening of August 18, we believe the same offenders have been disturbed at an address in Goondiwindi by residents and police, those offenders have then fled in stolen vehicles across the border into NSW,” he said.

It’s understood these incidents are related to the same group of offenders, some of whom are known to local authorities.

Queensland police believe similar offences have occurred over the border in NSW, however Acting Inspector Kitto was unable to comment on those incidents.

Queensland Police Service detective acting inspector Jason Kitto discusses the weekend crime wave in the Goondiwindi region.

Acting Inspector Kitto said police were working around the clock with the assistance of NSW police to bring those offenders to justice.

“It would appear a lot of our offenders are travelling between the two states and we’re working with NSW police, Goondiwindi police to try and get a handle on the situation,” he said.

“In the short term we’ve put a search capacity into Goondiwindi to support them and their officers.”

Queensland police have asked members of the Goondiwindi and surrounding communities to be mindful of their personal safety and their safety of their property.

“Please don’t take matters into your own hands, that is what the police are here to do,” Acting Inspector Kitto said.

“You can assist us in any way by contacting us or if you have any vision in relation to these offences, then come forward and provide that information to police and then let us do our job.”

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24 hours per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Quote these reference numbers: QP2401376852, QP2401383450, QP2401383490, QP2401390815, QP2401390744, QP2401390770

Originally published as Goondiwindi crime crisis: Investigations ongoing as border town lives in fear