12 April, 2023
Forum tackles youth crime
A locally organised Nangwee crime meeting has set the stage for future cooperation between landowners and police.
Over 50 landowners/farmers from the Jondaryan and Cecil Plains districts met to discuss the problem of thefts on properties around the region.
Police from Toowoomba, Jondaryan and Pittsworth along with two members of the Stock Squad spoke at the meeting about the importance of having security cameras, marking one’s property and reporting stolen items to police.
Member for Condamine Pat Weir said he had helped arrange the meetings after hearing that landowners were frustrated to the point of wanting to take action into their owns hands.
“I’ve been getting reports from landowners about property being stolen off farms such as vehicles, leads off grain augers and copper off sheds,” he said.
“People felt the attention was all on the cities.
“I met with (Darling Downs Major Organised Crime Squad’s Detective Senior Sergeant) Jim Lacey to see what was happening and we decided to hold a shed meeting.”
Police informed the landholders that having markings on equipment was essential to help track down links between offenders and the location of their activities.
“Some of these land-holders have been hit four times in the last twelve months and they have been talking about taking matters into their own hands,” Pat Weir said.
He said that there was frustration at the lack of punishment handed out to offenders once caught.
The under-manning of the Cecil Plains police station was also a cause of concern, with the town having been without a police officer for six months.
Mr Weir said that there was interest in holding further meetings.
“It may not be the last meeting we have,” he said.
“(Sergeant) Scott McGrath (from the Darling Downs Crime Prevention Unit)said he’d be happy to hold a session on preventative measures.”
