$6 Million Stolen From Homes Amid Ongoing Youth Crime Wave: Insurer

‘The exponential increase in demand is something that we have never seen before, particularly prior to COVID-19.’

A police vehicle and tape in Cairns, Australia, on Dec. 19, 2014. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Queensland had a surge in home break-ins in 2023, resulting in $6 million (US$3.94 million) worth of stolen property, amid crime rates doubling in some postcodes compared to previous years.

Townsville, inner Brisbane, and the city’s southside saw the most home break-ins, with 208 claims, an 18 percent increase from the previous year, the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ)’s insurance data showed.