Far North Queensland communities are seeing the benefits of targeted policing, with the Tablelands Property Crime Unit charging more than 200 offenders and laying 868 charges in just its first six months of operation.
Keeping our community safe is one of the issues I hear about most often when speaking with local families, business owners and residents across Far North Queensland. People want to know that their home, their car and their livelihood are protected, and they want confidence that those responsible for committing crimes in our community are being held accountable.
The Tablelands Property Crime Unit, was established earlier this year to target serious repeat offenders and property crime across the Tablelands. Since February, the dedicated team has arrested 227 offenders on 868 offences, including 85 young offenders on 257 charges and 142 adults on more than 600 charges. Just as importantly, officers have recovered 242 stolen items worth approximately $450,000, helping return property to victims and reducing the impact of crime on local families and businesses.
Behind every charge laid and every stolen item recovered is a victim who has been affected by crime. For too long, many people across Far North Queensland felt frustrated as repeat offenders caused significant harm in our communities. That’s why targeted police resources like the Tablelands Property Crime Unit are so important.
The unit consists of detectives and police officers seconded from Mareeba and Atherton, working exclusively in the property crime space. Supported by officers across the Tablelands, they are undertaking both high-visibility policing and complex investigations to identify, disrupt and apprehend offenders responsible for property crime and vehicle theft.
The work being carried out by the team demonstrates exactly why a dedicated response is needed. On 17 September, officers intercepted a man at a Mareeba service station driving a stolen vehicle fitted with false plates. Following a search of the vehicle, police allegedly located methylamphetamine, a handgun, a silencer and a rifle. In a separate operation, officers executed a search warrant at Koah and recovered approximately $80,000 worth of stolen property, including four stolen vehicles, one of which had been missing since 2020.
These are the kinds of operations that help keep dangerous offenders off our streets and make our communities safer. They also highlight the professionalism and dedication of the local police officers working in this space. Many of these officers live in the Tablelands themselves. They are raising their families here and have the same desire as every resident to see safer streets and stronger communities.
While there is always more work to do, we are seeing encouraging signs that crime levels across the Tablelands are reducing. The reality is that the demand for this specialised policing response remains strong, which is why the Tablelands Property Crime Unit is here to stay. This is not a temporary measure. The unit will continue its work targeting offenders who break into homes, steal vehicles and threaten the safety of our communities.
As your local Member, I will continue supporting measures that back our police, strengthen community safety and put victims first. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home and their own neighbourhood.
I want to thank the dedicated officers of the Tablelands Property Crime Unit and all local police who continue to work tirelessly to protect our community. Their efforts are making a real difference, and these results show that targeted policing, strong enforcement and a commitment to community safety are helping turn the tide on crime across Far North Queensland.
