General News
6 June, 2025
Crime forum provides rural landholders with top tips to safeguard their properties
Approximately 50 rural landholders from Pittsworth and surrounding areas including Brookstead, Mt Tyson, Bongeen, Norwin and Felton attended the Queensland Police Service (QPS)'s 'Shut the Gate on Rural Crime' forum on Tuesday, 27th May in the Pittsworth Function Centre.
“This initiative is designed to empower landowners with practical tools and knowledge to safeguard their properties while also fostering strong connections between communities and local police,” Member for Condamine, Pat Weir, who opened the forum, said.
“Rural crime is right across the state.
“Police numbers are really stretched - there’s a big effort to try to recruit and increase numbers.
“Every police station in the district has been severely undermanned and that has made things even more difficult,” Mr Weir said.
Officer In Charge at Pittsworth Police Station, Sergeant Tim Hoffmann gave an overview of rural crime in Pittsworth, Millmerran, Cecil Plains and surrounding areas.
“Rural crime actually accounts for a large percentage of our property offences within the Division,” Sgt. Hoffmann said.
In the last six months, property offences have occurred predominantly on Sunday and Thursday in Pittsworth, on Wednesday and Friday in Millmerran and Friday in Cecil Plains.
The most commonly stolen items were diesel, machinery, tools, batteries and firearms.
The highest offence type was theft from vehicles and/or sheds.
Sgt. Hoffmann said offenders look for insecure premises, absence of closed circuit television (CCTV), dogs and insecure property gates.
These offence statistics are available for public viewing on the Online Crime Map and compiled through PoliceLink reports.
Sgt. Hoffmann said it is essential to report any crime, no matter how big or small, as under reporting is a major barrier to crime investigations in rural areas.
Other barriers include: concerns over insurance premium hikes, concerns surrounding weapons licences (revocation/reviews) and lack of knowledge to resources available to assist such as Stock Squad, Tactical Crime Squad and CIB.
Sgt. Hoffmann spoke briefly about crime prevention and suggested viewing the QPS website which has a multitude of resources available for download.
He also said using the Facebook page ‘Pittsworth Crime Incidents’ to report anything suspicious is a useful tool.
Sgt. Hoffmann strongly advised against intervening during any crime, explaining that offenders are often irrational, highly motivated to escape, and confrontation is not worth risking serious injury or death.
It may also put you at risk of the charge of deprivation of liberty.
Some reporting tips included:
Call triple zero if a crime is happening there and then. If not, and the crime has already taken place, call PoliceLink (131 444), or make an anonymously report to CrimeStoppers (1800 333 000).
Provide as much detail as possible, including descriptions, clothing, relevant items or property.
Remember the three Rs: recognise, record, report.
“For good crime resolutions we have to work together,” Sgt. Hoffmann said.
David Isherwood, Chair of the CrimeStoppers Darling Downs Volunteer Area Committee, gave a snapshot of the impact of CrimeStoppers Queensland.
The organisation came to Australia in 1987 and two years later it was formed in Queensland which was the first state to function as a volunteer model as opposed to a central body.
CrimeStoppers is not the QPS but associated with police.
“CrimeStoppers is all about making a safer Queensland,” Mr Isherwood said.
“We do that through empowering the community by supplying anonymous information about crime or about things that can help solve a crime.”
Last year, there were 60,269 anonymous reports to CrimeStoppers, and
$2.04 million in drugs seized.
Mr Isherwood said the biggest amount of phone calls received were related to drugs.
For the months of April and May, CrimeStoppers ran a campaign on unregistered and illegal firearms.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence estimated there are 260,000 illegal firearms in Australia.
In 2024, over 3,290 crimes were committed involving firearms (not necessarily stolen) including attempted murders, assaults, robberies and unlawful entry.
Mr Isherwood highlighted the importance of security, and the impact of illegal firearms on the community.
“If you see something, say something.
“A crime solved is better than a crime unsolved,” Mr Isherwood said.
The final presentation was from Detective Senior Constable Chris Hurtz from the Rural and Stock Crime Squad.
He spoke about ‘target hardening’ properties through strengthening boundaries, securing machinery and equipment, protecting fuel tanks and enhancing home and firearm security.
“You want to make it as difficult as possible for offenders to gain access to your property,” he said.
A suggestion was completing a farm security guide to identity potential security risks and areas for enhanced security measures.
A PDF template of this guide can be downloaded from the QPS website at www.police.qld.gov.au
Detective Hurtz also suggested landholders keep current records of machinery serial numbers, and engrave or mark their tools, to assist police in the event of recovering stolen items.
The QPS also held forums in Oakey and Laidley, however neither were as well attended as Pittsworth.
Before the forum, the Pittsworth Lions Club held a free sausage sizzle.
