A three-year-old has been caught up in a vehicle theft after the car they were in was left running outside a residence in Mount Isa in north-west Queensland.
The woman driving the vehicle had stepped inside a residence for a short time before the car was stolen with the child in the back seat, police said.
The toddler was located uninjured on a street about half an hour later and was returned to safety.
The incident was one of several vehicle thefts to occur over the New Year weekend in a community recognised statewide as a hotspot for property crime.
On December 28, three vehicles were stolen from the Mount Isa area.
One juvenile has been dealt with under the Youth Justice Act 1992 in relation to that incident, police said.
Over the New Year's weekend a further four vehicles were stolen from the Healy, Sunset, Winston and Townview areas.
Five juveniles were dealt with under the Youth Justice Act in relation to those stolen vehicles.
All but one of the vehicles were stolen from private residences, police said.
"These offences are being perpetrated by a very small number of individuals," Acting Senior Sergeant Jake Lacy said.
"The nature of these offences does send a message to residents to please lock their doors and keep car keys away from obvious areas of the home."
Growing concerns for public safety
Mount Isa has been recognised as a hotspot for vehicle theft. Recently, the outback town became one of three locations across the state set to undergo a government trial of engine immobilisers.
Ongoing car thefts have brewed a hotbed of community tension.
"One of the cars came screeching past our house. Someone will get killed if this keeps up," one resident said on Facebook.
"I was nearly hit by a grey HiLux. Please be careful getting around Mount Isa," another said.
"My wife and I are very concerned that one of these vehicles will end up inside our home," another resident said.
In early December, Patrol Inspector at Mount Isa Police Erin Shawcross said officers were becoming increasingly angered with the state of vehicle crime across the city.
"It is extremely, extremely frustrating, as a police officer, to constantly see the little respect these occupants show towards other members of the community because the way they are driving is blatantly endangering people," he said.
Inspector Shawcross urged residents to steer clear of stolen vehicles and avoid taking matters into their own hands.
"We do have some people with good intentions actually follow these stolen cars in order to report to us their location.
"Unfortunately, what we have found is that it just entices the occupants of the stolen vehicles to drive more dangerously, or engage in more risky behaviour.
"I'd suggest members of the community, If they do sight any of these vehicles, ring triple-0 to report it so we can follow it up and just stay away from that vehicle," he said.
