A police crackdown on robbery, break-ins and stolen vehicles has resulted in 405 people being charged on the Sunshine Coast since February.
Queensland Police launched Operation Yankee Forge across the state to prevent, disrupt and investigate what it describes as high-harm offending, with 284 adults and 121 juveniles charged in the Sunshine Coast district.
Police said 45 people had been charged with robbery offences, 245 with unlawful entry offences and 188 with unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences.
One recent investigation resulted in two men being charged after a series of alleged property offences across Maroochydore and the hinterland last month.
Police allege a man broke into properties and vehicles at Maroochydore, Maroochy River, Kiels Mountain, Nambour, Kureelpa and Flaxton between October 11 and 20.
A Toyota Prado, tools, licence plates and other items were allegedly stolen during the period.
Police further allege the man was with another person during some of the offending and some stolen property was pawned for cash.
The Toyota and other allegedly stolen items were located at Ringwood Lane, Mapleton, on October 19.
Officers went to a park on Delicia Road at Mapleton the following day, where police allege a man tried to flee by jumping into a pond.
A 31-year-old Mapleton man was arrested and charged with 25 offences, including six counts of enter dwelling and commit, three counts of enter premises and commit indictable offence by break and nine counts of receiving tainted property.
He was also charged with one count each of stealing, unlawful possession of a motor vehicle, assault occasioning bodily harm and fraud, as well as three drug offences.
The man faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court on October 22 and was remanded in custody to reappear on November 23.
A subsequent investigation led to the arrest of a 21-year-old Petrie man on October 25.
He was charged with one count each of enter premises and commit indictable offence by break, fraud and receiving tainted property.
The man appeared in Caboolture Magistrates Court on October 26 and was remanded in custody to reappear on December 9.
Sunshine Coast District Officer Acting Superintendent Craig Mansfield said the operation’s results sent a clear message about the offences being targeted.
“Targeted operations like Yankee Forge not only disrupt criminal activity, but they also have a tangible impact on the community by bolstering safety and providing residents with peace of mind that police take these offences extremely seriously.”
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Operation Yankee Forge was established as a district-led statewide initiative targeting unlawful use of motor vehicles, unlawful entry and robbery, with police regions supported by specialist squads.
