{"id":341139,"date":"2023-11-22T23:09:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T13:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=341139"},"modified":"2023-11-23T18:18:53","modified_gmt":"2023-11-23T08:18:53","slug":"taskforce-arrests-25-juveniles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2023\/11\/22\/taskforce-arrests-25-juveniles\/","title":{"rendered":"Taskforce Arrests 25 Juveniles"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Inspector Scott Stahlhut spoke to the media outside District Headquarters in Toowoomba on Wednesday<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

November 22, 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

A crackdown by police has resulted in 25 arrests following a recent spate of car thefts and break-ins in the Murgon area.<\/p>\n

Inspector Scott Stahlhut, from the South Burnett Patrol Group, said\u00a0Taskforce Guardian had been deployed in the South Burnett in response to the increase in crime, in particular incidents involving juveniles.<\/p>\n

The latest was an attempted daylight robbery in Murgon on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Three young people had been arrested shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n

Eight officers from Taskforce Guardian joined local detectives and uniformed police in Murgon, Cherbourg, Wondai and Kingaroy between November 14-21.<\/p>\n

Inspector Stahlhut said the focus had been on the impact the offending had caused the victims of crime, as well as community safety.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“This operation was really about holding offenders to account,” he\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

“As a result, investigations identified 25 juveniles in the South Burnett alleged to have committed 102 offences.”<\/p>\n

Fifteen of these had been charged and would face court, while 10 were dealt with under provisions of the Youth Justice Act.<\/p>\n

“Some of the offences which have occurred have been perpetrated by some young people not from the area who have returned to area,” Inspector Stahlhut said,<\/p>\n

The 102 offences comprised 18 counts of unlawful entry, nine counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, 35 charges related to other property offences, one robbery charge, three counts of assault, 16 counts of breach of bail and 20 other offences.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Inspector Stahlhut said there had been instances of very young people driving dangerously, and sometimes under the influence of illicit drugs or other substances.<\/p>\n

There was significant risk in how police managed this, he said.<\/p>\n

“It’s about looking after the welfare of the community as much as looking after that young person,” Inspector Stahlhut said.<\/p>\n

“A vehicle can become weaponised when it’s being operated by a person whose either young, inexperienced or adversely affected.”<\/p>\n

A key component of the Taskforce Guardian intervention had been “high visibility” patrols both on foot and mobile, as well as curfew and bail checks.<\/p>\n

Patrols had been conducted near hotels, industrial areas, schools and other areas connected to recent property crimes and anti-social behaviour.<\/p>\n

The Taskforce, in conjunction with local detectives and Youth Justice workers, also completed 13 street checks and engaged with a number of local businesses and community members.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Taskforce Guardian can be sent anywhere in Queensland at any time.<\/p>\n

Inspector Stahlhut said the deployment had followed on from Operation Pandora in Murgon and Cherbourg where a total of 17 adults and children had been charged with 143 offences.<\/p>\n

“Specialist personnel will continue to be deployed in the area to supplement our local resources,” he said.<\/p>\n

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