'Shall be disciplined': Ominous sign as Aussie town reaches breaking point
Police are urging the community not to not take the law into their own hands to combat rising youth crime in Queensland.
An anonymous sign notifying locals of a "community enforced curfew" has gone up in Mackay, Queensland as police continue to battle a vigilante approach to rising youth crime across the state.
The message was photographed and posted online, providing "all parents" with one week's notice that their children will soon be subjected to a new indoor curfew, Courier Mail reports.
"From 10pm till daylight, Monday-Sunday, any youths caught walking the streets shall be disciplined," the sign read.
It also called on fathers to "stand up" for the community, insinuating that it is their responsibility to protect the area against the rising rate of youth crime. "Watch over your street and look out for your neighbours," it read. "I urge all parents to share this announcement with your family and friends," it continued.
Police have confirmed to Yahoo News they are closely monitoring the issue, indicating the sign is the latest example of vigilante behaviour in the area.
Police urge against vigilante approach to crime
Vigilante behaviour is becoming increasingly more common in regional Queensland, with a state-wide surge in crime believed to be responsible. Police are warning there could be fatal repercussions if communities continue to take the law into their own hands.
"Be careful. What we’ll end up with is a death," Queensland’s police commissioner Katarina Carroll told reporters last week.
This was in response to a mob of 30 people recently surrounding a home in Rockhampton, with two teenagers believed to be responsible for criminal activity residing at the property.
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The Queensland government has announced it will invest $4 million in a sport and recreation fund in an attempt to curb youth crime, with recent research from the state finding nearly 40 per cent of young offenders, between ages 10 and 19, are exposed to traumatic experiences, increasing their likelihood of engaging in crime.
“This fund expands those vital programs that are already helping young people who may be at risk of falling into a life of crime to find a real purpose while opening the door to a world of new opportunities," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Thursday.
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