Dametto calls to end juvenile joy rides

3 August 2021

Member for Hinchinbrook, Nick Dametto.

A FURIOUS Member for Hinchinbrook, Nick Dametto is calling for an improved strategy to put an end to the rampage of stolen vehicles on Townsville streets.

Today it will be alleged a stolen Ford Ranger Raptor crashed into a number of vehicles at a busy Aitkenvale intersection in Townsville, leaving multiple people injured and bystanders shocked and angry.

Mr Dametto said I’ve been directly contacted by a number of Townsville residents who were either put at risk from the stolen vehicles or witnessed the final horrific crash scene in Nathan St and Ross River Rd Aitkenvale intersection.

“It appears the current strategy to stop juveniles while joy riding in stolen cars is waiting for them to have an accident or run out of fuel, this just isn’t good enough, he said.

“I’m not having a shot at Queensland Police here; they are required to work within the guidelines. The problem is Police Officers need to be equipped with better technology and strategies to bring these offenders to a holt.

“Simply waiting for juveniles joy riding in their stolen vehicles to come to a crashing end is not a sufficient strategy for protecting our community.

“Deploying stingers have proven to be somewhat effective but rarely put an end to all pursuits.

“The community is calling to scrap the ‘no pursuit policy’ which isn’t working. I understand that this has been put in place to protect Police Officers, motorists, and juvenile offenders. However, the unintended consequence is wild and unleashed lawlessness for sometimes days on our streets.

“It’s a bit hard for the average joe citizen to cop a speeding fine for a couple of kilometres over while these kids seem to get away blue murder.

“It’s time for Queensland Labor Government to completely reassess the way Queensland Police Service deal with the pursuit of stolen vehicles and look at other places around the world that are managing this in a more proactive way.

“Shooting the back tyres of a stolen vehicle may be a little outdated but is it too much to ask for the State Government to come up with a strategy for disabling these stolen cars somehow without waiting for them to potentially kill another person on our streets.”