FOUR juveniles and a 17-year-old man are alleged to have broken into cars on the mine site during a crime spree across Mount Isa last week.
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The four juveniles and the man have been charged with 76 crimes between them. These involved entering and damaging cars, and stealing from them.
Mount Isa Police Property Squad’s Constable Samantha McCall said the accused began their crimes at Central State School and “worked their way” to the mine’s based Sonic Health Facility. They then moved on to Healy.
“They’ve entered vehicles that were unlocked and searched around for money and anything they can find,” she said.
“The vehicles they couldn’t get into they smashed the windows.
“The crime spree started on the 23rd and continued onto the 24th in the early hours of the morning.”
Police were able to identify the accused by getting CCTV footage from the mine site. They also had taken fingerprints at the crime scenes.
The juveniles involved had recently been released from juvenile detention and were repeat offenders. Police identify a ringleader in the group and it was not the adult, Constable McCall said.
The juveniles have appeared before the Mount Isa juvenile court this week. All but one of the accused have been remanded, she said.
“The biggest concern is that these offences are all property related and these persons who have committed these offences have tried all locked vehicles.
“This started with people not locking these vehicles and they go from there, one thing to the next,” Constable McCall said.
“It’s just a matter of time before they start smashing windows if they can’t get into cars.”
She said it was a “timely reminder” that car owners remember to lock their vehicles.
Constable McCall said there was a problem with juvenile crime in Mount Isa. “There’s no supervision, their parents are not looking after them, they are bored, and they have nothing better to do.
“They go in groups of three to six or more and commit offences together.”
She said there was a risk of juveniles reoffending when they returned from detention.
“Where there is nothing for them to do and without parental supervision the likelihood of reoffending is very high.”
