A Brisbane local has spoken about the moment he was carjacked by what he believed were teens, as new statistics revealed the staggering number of vehicles stolen from Queenslanders each day.
It’s been revealed more than 70 serious youth offenders are living in Queensland’s state-run housing on suburban streets.
Workers on the ground are calling for an urgent overhaul of the system, claiming the facilities are inadequate to deal with a growing number of troubled children.
Staff are also concerned troubled children are being enticed to commit crimes due to their contact with other young offenders.
The number of children in residential care in the state has more than doubled since 2017.
Doctor Angelo Justus, who lives in the leafy waterfront suburb of Bulimba, was a victim of a terrifying carjacking that has left him concerned for his family’s safety.
He told Sky News Australia on Wednesday it was a “normal Sunday” as he hopped into the car, which was parked on the driveway, to take old clothes to a charity bin.
“I was in my driveway reversing and all of a sudden two guys appeared on both sides of the car and started banging. I initially thought I made a mistake in reversing that’s why they’re angry,” he said to First Edition host Peter Stefanovic.
“But quickly I saw weapons in their hands as I was winding the window down.”
Brisbane resident Angelo Justus recalled the terrifying moment a group of what he believed were teenagers demanding him hand over his car on Sunday. Picture: Steve Pohlner
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The pair of assailants, who Dr Justus said sounded like teenagers or in their early 20s, were armed with a shovel and axe and repeatedly swore at him to get out of his vehicle.
“I complied immediately. I knew what was coming if I didn’t,” he said.
“They started reversing and they realised it was a push button start car and they didn’t know where the keys were.
“I told them they were in the centre console… they then sped away.”
The Brisbane local also spotted a vehicle of at least three other offenders blocking his driveway before the thieves were able steal the family car and leave.
Their identities were hard to make out as they were wearing balaclavas.
Security camera footage captured the moment Dr Justus’ family car (pictured top left) was stolen from the leafy waterfront Brisbane suburb of Bulimba. Picture: Supplied
It comes after it was revealed on Wednesday the number of carjackings had soared to a 10-year high, with at least 55 cars stolen each day in the Sunshine State.
According to the numbers from the Queensland Police division data, Cairns reported 859 vehicle thefts in the past 12 months, or more than two a day.
Toowoomba recorded 640 thefts and the Brisbane suburb of Hendra had 629.
Logan Central, Kirwan (in Townsville), Southport and Broadbeach (on the Gold Coast) all reported more than 400 stolen cars in one year.
Queensland Police suspect young thieves were targeting residents living in affluent suburbs owning luxury cars in order to brag about it on social media.
Fixing Queensland youth crime ‘starts with consequences’: Crisafulli
Dr Justus said the community were being forced to defend themselves.
“We’re asked to do what authorities are meant to be doing,” he told Stefanovic.
He added more residents on his street have started to install CCTV cameras due to the rise in crime and there have even been talks to hire security to patrol the streets at night.
Dr Justus’ car was found about 10 kilometres from his home but the keys were missing.
The vehicle has not been returned yet as it was going through forensic investigation with police. No arrests have been made.
Queensland parliament in March passed new laws, making breach of bail a crime for children, increasing penalties for car theft and new police powers to arrest certain youths.
These were just a number of changes, which Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk described as “the toughest laws in Australia” to combat the rise in youth crime.