By Sonia Isaacs
BEERWAH Police Acting Officer in Charge, Senior Sergeant Glenn Peatling is urging hinterland residents to stay alert but not alarmed following a series of linked break and enters across Beerwah, Maleny, Landsborough and Booroobin earlier this month.
Between 10.30am and 1pm on Tuesday, December 2, Police believe up to six homes were targeted, including at least five confirmed break-ins and one attempted break-in.
Offenders are believed to have travelled up from the south-east in a black Volkswagen Polo, before allegedly targeting multiple properties in Maleny and surrounding areas in what Snr Sgt. Peatling has described as a random one-off crime series.
In Maleny, a red Toyota Corolla was stolen from an address that morning and later seen travelling in company with the black Polo.
Both vehicles were subsequently reported driving erratically through the hinterland, including around Beerwah and Landsborough, as the offenders allegedly broke into further homes before fleeing the area.
“All of the houses were properly locked up. These offenders have kicked in front door and moved very quickly between addresses,” Snr. Sgt Peatling said.
“The best way to describe it is a very random, opportunistic, one-day series of offences by people from outside our community, who have come up, caused a lot of concern, then headed back south.”
Snr. Sergeant Peatling stressed there was no indication local offenders are responsible saying this was consistent with patterns he has seen over decades in policing, where offenders travel to other districts to “fly under the radar” before returning home. “The only positive side is that alert neighbours have made a real difference. People noticed something wasn’t right, contacted police, and shared home CCTV footage that has helped us join the dots,” he said.
“It’s really just good old-fashioned neighbourhood watch, keeping an eye out, noting down suspicious car registrations and calling it in.”
Police have confirmed the stolen Toyota Corolla has not been located and no persons have been charged.
Sunshine Coast District Criminal Investigation Branch Detective Senior Sergeant Rob Lowry said anyone with information is urged to call CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000. “We’re asking for anyone who may have seen, or have CCTV or dashcam footage of, these two vehicles around the Sunshine Coast hinterland on Tuesday, December 2 to contact police,” Det Lowry said.
