Queensland Virus Cluster a Result of Teens’ Alleged Shoplifting Trip

Queensland Virus Cluster a Result of Teens’ Alleged Shoplifting Trip
Vehicle checkpoint on the Pacific Highway on the Queensland-New South Wales border in Brisbane on April 15, 2020. (Patrick Hamilton /AFP via Getty Images)
Caden Pearson
7/29/2020
Updated:
7/29/2020

The two teenage girls from Queensland who tested positive for COVID-19 had allegedly travelled to Victoria to shoplift expensive handbags before they returned to Brisbane, where they allegedly mislead authorities, News Corp’s The Australian reported on July 30.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “I’m absolutely furious this has happened, that these two people have gone to Victoria, have come back and have given misleading information to authorities.”

The premier has since blocked all of Greater Sydney from travel to Queensland.

According to The Australian, the two teens are under investigation over the alleged attempted theft of designer handbags from a high-end Melbourne store, and it is suspected they travelled to Victoria intentionally to do this.

The teens are also facing criminal charges in Queensland for allegedly failing to declare their visit to Victoria and giving false information on state border declaration forms, The Australian reported.

Queensland Health has issued a warning on July 29, asking community members on Brisbane’s southside to remain alert as three new cases of COVID-19 were recorded.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr. Jeannette Young said: “Contact tracing is underway on all new cases.”

“If you live in the areas of Logan, South Brisbane or Springfield and are feeling unwell please stay home and immediately get tested,” she said.

One of the teens is an employee at Parklands Christian College in Park Ridge, Brisbane. She and her companion visited restaurants, bars, an African grocer, a dental active, and Chatime Grand Plaza since returning from Melbourne.