Coast crime bonanza
42,000 offences in 12 months
SURFERS Paradise, Southport and Broadbeach are the worst Gold Coast suburbs for crime, new figures have revealed.
The Bulletin analysed Queensland Police crime statistics to determine how many criminal offences were recorded in each locality over the past 12 months.
It shows about 42,000 crimes on the Gold Coast.
It comes as a criminal expert warned crime in general across the state had returned to pre-Covid levels.
Surfers Paradise had a whopping 6308 criminal offences over the past 12 months, with theft, good order and drug offences the most common crimes in the party precinct.
Southport followed closely behind with 5239 offences – the most common being theft, drug offences and assault.
Among the worst suburbs on the Gold Coast for crime were Broadbeach (1702), Robina (1668), Coomera (1645), Labrador (1520), Helensvale (1485) and Nerang (1465).
The suburbs with the lowest crime figures were Gilberton (two offences), Natural Bridge (five), Neranwood (six), Numinbah Valley (12) and Clagiraba (13).
Surfers Paradise woman Jamie Currie became a victim of crime last week when two people stole her $11,000 Harley-Davidson motorbike from a parking garage.
It was not insured. Ms Currie does not know how the thieves managed to steal the bike because she still has the key.
She’s now appealing to the community for help in getting it back.
“It’s my first motorbike and the sentimental value is worth so much more than the dollar value,” Ms Currie said.
“Anyone who owns a motorbike would tell you the same thing.”
Surfers Paradise MP JohnPaul Langbroek said he wasn’t surprised about his electorate’s high crime rate, being that it was the “the epicentre for entertainment and tourism”.
He said the figures showed that more police resources were needed.
“Police don’t have enough resources to follow up precinct bans when those people who are banned re-enter them,” Mr Langbroek said.
“These people don’t seem to care because it’s a slap on the wrist or they don’t get apprehended at all.
“Local residents are very frustrated throughout the electorate.”
Bond University criminologist Terry Goldsworthy said some suburbs had worse crime rates than others because of population, location and the “availability of suitable targets”.
“You may have more robberies taking place in Surfers Paradise and assaults being higher in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Coolangatta because they have night-life precincts,” he said.
“Someone from Surfers Paradise won’t go to Mudgeeraba to commit an offence if they can commit a similar offence in a closer location.”
Dr Goldsworthy warned that crime figures across Queensland were surging again after a lull during the Covid pandemic.
“Crime is well and truly on the way back up and has returned to pre-Covid levels or higher,” he said.
Anyone with information about Ms Currie’s bike should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.