Disturbing theory behind mysterious symbols on suburban roadside
Mysterious roadside markings discovered on kerbs in a suburban Queensland neighbourhood have sparked fears that they have a sinister purpose.
One marking - a red circle with straight lines drawn through and around it - was found in the Cairns suburb of Mooroobool, and shared to Facebook this week.
The resident who spotted previously bare kerbs with the newly added symbols shared her concerns that they may have been the work of criminal hands.
After noting several of the markings on routine morning walks with her dogs, she warned the community to take extra precaution, particularly with their animals.
“Over the last two days I have noticed these markings on the gutters outside of a few houses on my walking route,” the woman wrote to the social media site.
“I’m not sure what they are but I thought they may be markings made by thieves.”
She advised it might be beneficial for residents with animals to check their yards and gutters for potential signals, and to keep their “fur babies safe just in case”.
Many were skeptical the red marks were a sign of criminal activity, suggesting they could have been the work of the council, energy company, or Main Roads. The Facebook post has since been taken down.
Speaking with Yahoo News Australia, Cairns Regional Council confirmed the marks were not linked with any of its work.
Ergon Energy, the supplier of power to the Mooroobool area, also confirmed it was not responsible for the markings.
Queensland Transport and Main Roads were not responsible for smaller neighbourhood roads, ruling out the possibility the marking came from them.
Property marking, or tagging, has historically been utilised by dog thieves to indicate whether or not an animal inside a home would be an easy target.
Burglars have been known to use a coding system, using different drawings to illustrate the occupants inside a home and if they had dogs worth stealing.
In March the Courier Mail reported weighted blue balloons were planted outside homes in Jimboomba, south of Brisbane, to mark properties with dogs.
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