Serious crims walk as we prosecute elderly

I REFER to TB 14/8 “Thief, 81, made an innocent mistake”. What a hardened criminal he must have been to take a packet of macadamia nuts and two Atkins bars, total cost $20.50. The police prosecutor told the court that CCTV footage identified the man taking the items.

Pardon me if I laugh at Woolworths and the police. This must be a joke! You can bash old people up, steal cars, break into people’s houses and threaten to kill them but don’t steal $20.50 worth of goods from Woolworths.

I was walking through Stockland and observed a person walk past a bag shop and blatantly take a bag off the display and put it in her trolley and keep walking. I went in and advised the shop assistant and the reply was that this often happens, and it is not worth reporting and a waste of time because who the thief was, yet the system allows this 81-year-old to be prosecuted and branded a thief.

The big question is why is stealing $20.50 prosecuted yet other serious crimes which are continually perpetrated against the community not treated by the courts as seriously.

The police are stretched to the limit with more serious crimes yet they are called to a petty crime and it goes to the court — what a waste of money and manpower. I feel for the men and women in uniform as they have their hands tied by the government when it comes to youth crime, but have to throw the book at the elderly.

Townsville has a serious problem and we need a government which is going to keep the community safe, not just talk about it.

SANDRA CHESNEY, Jensen.