Letter to the Editor
Years ago, cars had steering locks, when the key was turned off a steel block went into the steering column shaft and could not be removed without extensive tools and much noise, I remove one once from a stripped shell at the wreckers and it took 20 minutes of hard work. With the key turned to a particular position and a specific diameter pin pushed into a hole, it pops out. Without a key it cannot be done easily without tools.
Later French cars up to about 2016, have to have the key recognised electronically before it would turn to unlock the steering, so could not be stolen and as the car moved off the doors auto lock. This should be a mandatory requirement to stop theft and the massive insurance costs and deaths from low intelligent morons who steal cars and kill innocent people.
The early Saab had the key on the gear box, it had to be put into reverse before the key could be removed locking it in reverse gear, so was no stolen.
As the act of stealing a car was by deliberate planning intent with the likely possibility of causing death in an accident, therefore as the act was by deliberate intent charges of murder should be made when people are killed, and full restitution of the vehicle costs, damages costs and lost income of the owner therefrom, must be a mandatory locked-in sentence along with all others upon the offender. Without the option of relief or bankruptcy.
The sentence should be on the basis of the basic wage value per year, being reduced off the amount owed, with no release until all is repaid. Someone has to pay the cost, it must no longer be the victim, it must be the thief who caused the financial loss costs.
Sincerely
Gil May, Forestdale
Updated report
So far this year 185 cars have been stolen in the Cairns area and Townsville has similar numbers. Last year subsidised car immobilisers were available for Cairns motorists to fit to their cars which have been quite effective in preventing theft of late model cars.
Queensland Police Service Mar 11, 2026 @ 2:08pm
Stolen cars ram police vehicles
Police have charged a 20-year-old woman and 7 juveniles aged 14 to 17 in relation to the unlawful use of a Ford Ranger, Isuzu MUX, Toyota Tundra and Kia K4 in Townsville from 8 to 10 March.
The woman and 7 juveniles have been charged with 41 offences, with investigations continuing today.
On 9 March around 10.50pm the Ford Ranger was stolen from Minstrel Court at Bushland Beach, during which the 29-year-old male homeowner was injured while attempting to grab an offender through the vehicle window.
On 10 March around 4am, police were conducting a patrol in an unmarked police vehicle on Ross River Road in Cranbrook, when the stolen Toyota Tundra and Ford Ranger allegedly approached the police vehicle at high-speed and with high beam lights on.
Police took evasive action to avoid a collision but were allegedly followed by both stolen vehicles and struck a number of times by the Tundra.
Both stolen vehicles then left the area.
Around 10am that morning, two officers in a police vehicle were parked on Brodie Street, Hermit Park when it is alleged the Tundra collided with the police vehicle at speed, damaging the driver’s side door. The Tundra then left the scene.
At around 11am the Tundra was involved in a traffic crash with another vehicle, at which time it is alleged the four occupants of the stolen vehicle fled to the stolen Ford Ranger and left the scene.
Townsville Tactical Crime Squad, general duties crews, dog squad crews and Polair tracked the vehicles through Townsville between 10am and 2.30pm.
It is alleged the stolen vehicles travelled at excessive speeds, proceeded through red lights and travelled on the wrong side of the road.
A Tyre Deflation Device (TDD) was successfully deployed on the Ford Ranger at 2.15pm on Dalrymple Road.
Four juveniles, aged 15 to 17 allegedly fled the vehicle on foot, but were arrested a short time later.
Around 7.15pm a TDD was successfully deployed on the Kia K4 on Hudson Street in Kirwan.
Four juveniles, aged 14 to 15 fled the vehicle on foot, but were tracked by Polair and arrested a short time later.#
*Onlookers say some of the offenders were of Aboriginal appearance. The quickest remedy would be to draft all these kids into the army for two years stationed at bases a long way from Townsville or Cairns.
The Labor Party would never countenance such a move and its MP’s regard remote boot camps promoted by Katters Australian Party as too tough for these poor kids who are attempting to kill or injure police officers.
Car theft is causing many millions of dollars damage across the state and nation forcing up car insurance premiums to unaffordable levels. The political duopoly has no solution and the police try their hardest to catch these kids but the Labor-appointed Magistrates in their Admiralty courts let them down.
