theft Archives - Morningside News

Morningside Records 885 Offences as Crime Stoppers Warns Queenslanders About Money Trap Scams

Morningside residents are being encouraged to stay vigilant after new Queensland Police data revealed 885 offences were recorded in the suburb over the past year, while Crime Stoppers Queensland has launched a campaign warning organised crime groups are targeting everyday Australians through fake job offers.

According to the Queensland Police Service crime map, which covers the period 23 July 2025 to 22 July 2026, the largest reported offence category in Morningside was other theft (excluding unlawful entry) with 300 incidents, followed by 141 drug offences and 72 property damage offences.

Theft Remains Morningside’s Largest Reported Offence Category

The latest police data shows theft accounted for around one-third of all reported offences in Morningside during the 12-month reporting period.

Other reported offence categories included:

68 traffic and related offences
63 good order offences
57 assaults
55 unlawful entries
30 unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences
26 fraud offences
15 handling stolen goods offences
14 offences against the person
14 trespassing and vagrancy offences
12 weapons act offences
7 miscellaneous offences
5 arson offences
4 robbery offences
2 liquor offences (excluding drunkenness)

Crime statistics provide a snapshot of reported incidents and can help residents better understand local trends. They can also encourage practical steps to improve home, vehicle and personal security.

Statewide Campaign Highlights Organised Crime Recruitment Tactics

Separately, Crime Stoppers Queensland has launched its new Money Trap campaign to raise awareness of how organised crime groups recruit unsuspecting people to help move criminal funds.

The Australian Government-funded campaign warns that criminals are increasingly using fake job advertisements, social media messages and promises of easy money to convince people to receive or transfer money through their personal bank accounts.

Crime Stoppers Queensland CEO David Hansen said many of these approaches appear legitimate, making it easier for people to become involved in criminal activity without fully understanding the consequences.

“Whether it’s a message on social media, an online job advertisement or someone asking to use your bank account, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Mr Hansen said.

While the campaign has a particular focus on helping protect international students and temporary visa holders from exploitation, Mr Hansen said anyone could be approached.

“Anyone can be approached with a money trap,” he said.

“These approaches are designed to look genuine, which is why awareness is our strongest defence.”

Recognising the Warning Signs Can Help Prevent Crime

Crime Stoppers is urging Queenslanders to be cautious of:

Unsolicited job offers promising easy money.
Requests to receive or transfer money through a personal bank account.
Requests to share banking details or allow someone else to use their account.
Pressure to act quickly or keep financial arrangements secret.

Mr Hansen said learning to recognise these warning signs, discussing them with family and friends, and reporting suspicious activity anonymously could make it harder for organised crime groups to operate.

Residents with information about suspicious criminal activity can report it anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000.

While Morningside’s latest police figures show theft, drug offences and property damage were among the suburb’s most frequently reported offences over the past year, the Money Trap campaign also highlights the growing sophistication of organised crime recruitment. By staying informed about both local crime trends and common scam tactics, residents can play an important role in protecting themselves and the wider community.

Published 23-July-2026

Murarrie Teen Charged with 23 Offences After Alleged Gym Car Key Thefts

Photo Credit: myPolice Bayside

A 17-year-old Murarrie teen has been charged with 23 offences following a Queensland Police investigation into a series of alleged vehicle thefts tied to gyms across Brisbane. The charges follow incidents said to have occurred over a seven-week period between 2 March and 19 April this year.

According to Queensland Police, the alleged offending involved a group of young people entering gym facilities and taking car keys from unsecured lockers. Suburbs affected include Herston, Rocklea, Bulimba, East Brisbane, Inala, Chapel Hill, and South Brisbane.

The matter came to a head on 19 April, when officers spotted a teenager travelling in a white 2024 Hyundai across the Brisbane region — a vehicle police allege had been stolen from a Broadbeach Waters address the day prior. Local police crews, supported by the Polair helicopter unit, pursued the vehicle before deploying a tyre deflation device in Inala. The teenager was arrested at the scene.

The Murarrie teen faces charges including five counts each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle (UUMV) – use, and enter premises and commit an indictable offence; three counts of UUMV – use in night in company; two counts each of attempted enter dwelling with intent and enter premises with intent to commit an indictable offence; and one count each of enter premises and commit an indictable offence by break, and stealing. Police bail was refused, and he was due to appear before the Brisbane Children’s Court on 20 April.

Three other young people, also found in the vehicle, were subsequently arrested and charged.

A 15-year-old boy from Inala was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, driving without a licence, and dangerous operation of a vehicle. He was refused bail and was due before the Richlands Children’s Court on 20 April.

A 17-year-old girl from Cannon Hill was charged with UUMV – use in company, possession of a dangerous drug, and stealing. She is due to appear before the Brisbane Children’s Court on 5 May.

A 15-year-old girl from Redland Bay was charged with two counts each of possession of a dangerous drug and stealing, along with one count of UUMV – use in company. She is due before the Richlands Children’s Court on 21 May.

Police investigations are continuing, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact Policelink online or by calling 131 444, quoting reference numbers QP2600663210, QP2600727271, or QP2600749825. Information can also be passed on anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppersqld.com.au.

In light of the alleged incidents, Queensland Police are urging all gym-goers to take care with their belongings. Specifically, people are advised to use lockable lockers wherever they are available, or to keep vehicle keys and other valuables on their person during workouts. Police have also asked members of the public to stay alert when entering and leaving gym facilities — particularly at venues where fob or swipe access is required — and to avoid letting in people they do not know. Anyone who notices suspicious behaviour is encouraged to alert gym staff or contact police.

Published 20-April-2026

Community Appeal Launched for Return of Missing Murarrie Statue

Photo Credit: myPolice South Brisbane

Police are calling on the Murarrie community to help solve the mystery of a missing bronze statue that disappeared from the local recreation reserve more than four months ago.

The sculpture, which depicts a skateboarder performing a handplant manoeuvre, was taken from Murarrie Recreation Reserve on Wynnum Road around 1 April this year. The distinctive bronze artwork shows a skater balanced on one hand while gripping their skateboard with the other—a classic skateboarding trick that would be familiar to many users of the park’s popular skate facilities.

Murarrie Recreation Reserve, located on Wynnum Road approximately 6 kilometres east of Brisbane’s city centre, is home to a well-used skate park that serves the local skateboarding and cycling community. The facility includes skate park features alongside cycling tracks, basketball courts, and other recreational amenities, making it a hub for active recreation in the area.

The skate park has undergone recent improvements, with an extension approved in 2022 that added approximately 732 square metres of additional skating area and features. The broader recreation reserve is also set to house Brisbane’s new international-standard cycling facility as part of preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The theft has left a noticeable gap in the park’s landscape, removing what was likely an important piece of community art celebrating the skateboarding culture that thrives at the venue. Bronze sculptures are particularly vulnerable to theft due to their material value, but this piece also held cultural significance for the skating community.

Queensland Police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the theft or has information about the statue’s whereabouts to come forward. They are particularly interested in hearing from people who may have relevant CCTV footage or dashcam recordings from around the time of the incident.

Detective investigations are continuing under reference number QP2500729645. The delay between the theft and the public appeal suggests police have been pursuing other investigative leads before reaching out to the broader community for assistance.

Community members with information can contact Policelink through the online suspicious activity form available 24 hours a day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting, or by calling 131 444.

For those who prefer to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers can be contacted on 1800 333 000 or through their online reporting system at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Published 12-August-2025

Series of Home Invasions Shock Morningside Residents

A series of audacious home invasions has left Morningside residents on edge, as masked intruders targeted multiple properties in the early hours of Wednesday morning, September 23. The most alarming incident involved thieves breaking into the bedroom of a sleeping infant.

Security footage from a home on Pockley Street captured the moment when several masked individuals approached the residence around 2 AM. The group was seen using scissors to cut through a screen door before entering the property. In a disturbing turn of events, the intruders made their way upstairs and into a child’s bedroom where a three-year-old was sleeping.

The thieves stole car keys and personal belongings before fleeing the scene. The recording captured one of the perpetrators urging the others to hurry.

This was not an isolated incident. Shortly after, the group struck again at a nearby home on Oberon Street. The resident reported that the intruders quickly entered his property, stole a handbag containing car keys, and made off with another vehicle. The victim stated that this was the second time his family had fallen victim to car theft.

The crime spree continued with a third car stolen from outside Jetts gym on Wynnum Road.

Local law enforcement has launched a major operation to apprehend the suspects. They are appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and arrest of the individuals involved.

Individuals with information are encouraged to contact Policelink by submitting details through the online suspicious activity form at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or by calling 131 444.

For those wishing to remain anonymous, reports can be made to Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or through their website at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

As the investigation continues, residents are advised to review their home security measures and take extra precautions to safeguard their properties and vehicles.

Published 25-September-2024

Police Hunt Burglar After Morningside Break-In

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Police are on the hunt for a burglar following a brazen daylight burglary in the suburb of Morningside around 12:10 pm on Wednesday, March 20th. An appeal for public assistance has been issued to identify a man caught on CCTV footage

According to investigators, the unknown suspect broke into a home on Wynnum Road. He allegedly made off with a quantity of jewellery and antique items before fleeing the scene on foot towards Moore Street and Redfern Street.

Fortunately, no one was harmed during the incident. However, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Unit in nearby Dutton Park have now released security camera vision showing a man they believe can help with their inquiries into the case.

Police suspect the burglary may be linked to another similar break-in that occurred in the Seven Hills area back in July 2023.

The public is being urged to take a close look at the CCTV footage. Anyone who recognises the individual or has any other relevant information is asked to contact authorities immediately.

Residents are reminded they can provide tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or visiting www.crimestoppersqld.com.au. The case reference number is QP2400495494.

Published 29-March-2024