AceBreakingNews – Taskforce Guardian officers have charged 80 people with 228 offences following recent deployments to Townsville and Cairns.
Taskforce Guardian brings together police and expert youth justice workers, who work alongside local police to tackle youth offending and bolster community safety through strategic patrols, targeted investigations, and joint operations including bail checks, community and family engagement. During Taskforce Guardian’s deployment to Townsville between August 19 and 30, 36 people were arrested including 29 young people on 89 charges and five adults on six offences.
In Cairns between August 30 and September 6, 42 young people were arrested on 131 charges, and two adults were arrested on two offences. Most offences were related to property crime including stolen vehicles and break ins, along with bail compliance.
On September 2, Taskforce Guardian officers and police from the Cairns Tactical Crime Squad arrested five young people after an allegedly stolen Hyundai Kona was abandoned in Gordonvale.
It will be alleged members of the group had been travelling in a stolen Mitsubishi ASX and Mazda CX-5 which were subject to tyre deflation devices near Behana before leaving these vehicles and entering the Hyundai.
It will be further alleged that members of the group had been involved in break and enter and stealing offences across Manoora, Bentley Park, and Gordonvale.
An 18-year-old man, 14-year-old boy, 17-year-old boy, and two 17-year-old girls have been charged with a total of 23 offences including enter premises, unlawful use of motor vehicle and stealing. Four of the group were scheduled to appear in the Cairns Childrens and Magistrates Courts, the 17-year-old boy was dealt with under provisions of the Youth Justice Act.
The Taskforce also works with key support services and local resources to engage at-risk youth with relevant programs, focusing on health, education, disability services and First Nations initiatives. Since Taskforce Guardian commenced operations in May 2023, more than 1,777 young people have been arrested on 5,320 offences with 778 diverted from the youth justice system.
Youth Crime Taskforce Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham said: Saturating North Queensland communities was a priority for Taskforce Guardian.
“The arrests of several serious repeat youth offenders during these deployments is just one example of how local police are working for our community, by taking proactive action to keep them safe,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Massingham said.
“We have a raft of proactive enforcement, engagement and prevention strategies happening in communities across the state to prevent at-risk young people from committing offences, to investigate and hold perpetrators to account, seek justice for victims and to be a high visibility presence in communities to keep the public safe.”
“Local police in Cairns and Townsville work tirelessly to arrest offenders and the Taskforce aims to support their ongoing efforts, with extra boots on the ground.”
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