Police warn on vigilante group
These people are not trained, they should be leaving it to the police
A NEW Facebook group is urging its members to hit kids with cars and smack them with baseball bats, leaving those who know the fatal impacts of vigilantes disgusted.
The group has been set up less than eight months after the death of Jennifer Board, who was killed by an alleged vigilante driver.
Close family friend and former police officer Brett Geiszler said it was “heart-wrenching” to lose Ms Board in such a senseless way.
About 30 people are in the secret Facebook group, which has administrators urging members to give an offender a “love tap with your vehicle” if they see someone committing crime.
Admins urge members to get dashcam footage, start “mini patrols”, and record and gather information on where e the offenders live. e
“Weapons in cars are illegal but ut giant black double enders are not,” an admin wrote.
“See a person n committing a crime, invite them for a friendly game e of baseball – or a little love tap with your vehicle works s a treat.
“Find them all … I’d like this page to be full of addresses.’’
Ms Board was killed on February 5 this year when she was hit by a car that was allegedly chasing a stolen vehicle on Ross River Rd.
The 22-year-old was riding her motorcycle in the opposite lane when she was struck, and she died at the scene.
Mr Geiszler, whose son was close to Ms Board, said vigilantes were creating more problems rather than solving them.
“These people are not trained, they should be leaving it to the police, who do a fantastic job at apprehending offenders,” Mr Geiszler said. “Every day we are reminded that Jen is no longer . with us, and we just try and n get through it together.”
Mr Geiszler said the courts, not police, p were failing the community on o juvenile crime.
Townsville District Chief Superintendent S Craig Hanlon said it was frustrating that a new group had h surfaced.
“It’s disappointing and frustrating in they appear to be surfacing again,” a Superintendent Hanlon said. sa
“We understand and appreciate people want to work together to make the community safer, but this isn’t the way to do that.”
Superintendent Hanlon said the law applied to everyone, regardless of their intent.
He encouraged anyone who witnesses vigilante activity to contact police. g