Brazen thieves hit party
Gatecrashers blamed for robbery at daughter’s 15th birthday bash Youths charged after precinct targeted again
A HANDFUL of opportunistic thieves have snuck into a 15year-old’s birthday party and stolen thousands of dollars’ worth of valuables from her Edge Hill home.
Pallas Jones’ dad Leigh Jones and stepmum Louise Kiiver said they didn’t suspect anything until after the party on Saturday night.
Mr Jones said there were about 20 people invited to Pallas’ party.
“It wasn’t until most of the people had gone … Pallas mentioned that her phone was missing, and not long after that she realised that, all of her jewellery was missing as well,” Mr Jones said.
“We didn’t realise the full extent of it until the next afternoon. Lou’s boys … had a lot of their stuff taken. Cash, key cards, iPads.
“They pulled the side of the boys’ computer tower off and pulled the 8GB ram out.”
Ms Kiiver said she was angry and disappointed that young people had “violated” her home.
“We told her that we wanted the party to happen at home so that she could feel safe and have fun with her friends, and this is what’s happened,” she said.
“There was obviously a thief here … who went in and out until the party was shut down.” Now she said she just wanted her children’s belongings back.
“We want our kids’ stuff back. They’ve worked hard for it. It's not fair,” she said.
“It’s thousands of dollars worth of stuff. It's no joke.”
Mr Jones said the couple’s children were extremely upset over having their things stolen.
He said the family would now be changing the doors on all of the bedrooms so they could be individually locked.
“It’s a violation of trust,” he said.
Police are investigating the break in.
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THREE boys have been charged with the latest breakin to Edmonton’s Sporting and Recreation Precinct.
The precinct’s Mulgrave Cricket and Southside Comets shared clubhouse on Walker Rd was broken into for the third time in a month on Saturday.
A police spokesman said no property was stolen during the latest break-in.
He said officers from the Cairns Property Crime Squad yesterday charged three boys aged 11, 14 and 15 in relation to the incident.
The trio, from Yarrabah and Mount Sheridan, were charged with multiple offences, including entering premises with intent, wilful damage and possession of suspected stolen property.
The spokesman said investigations were continuing as police suspected the involvement of another five to six youths.
Southside Comets is running a “bounce back raffle” for the next three weeks to help recoup costs.
Tickets are available at the team’s games.
Division 2 Cairns regional councillor John Schilling earlier said the council was taking steps to improve security.
“We’ve had conversations with the clubs about this a month ago, and even a week ago,” he said.
“Council will step in and do what needs to be done. We didn’t spend $40 million on the PCYC and sporting complex just for this to happen.”