A GROUP of youths, some as young as 10 and 12, have been menacing Rosewood and Walloon residents inside and outside the Rosewood library and other businesses.
As a result, Rosewood Police OIC Sgt Travis Ehrich said he had secured additional funding as part of Operation Victor Unison … “to enable dedicated additional presence within these problem areas and to engage with the young persons”.
“If required, Rosewood police will take strong enforcement action with young offenders and hold them accountable for behaviours deemed to be criminal in nature.”
One of the most recent incidents left two young victims “scared and traumatised”.
Rosewood mother, Kylie Gibson, told the Moreton Border News that her children were approached by a group of children with a knife outside the Rosewood library on September 25.
Kylie Gibson said that her two children were visiting the library “a place where they enjoy to go to socialise and read books”, when they were approached by the group of boys.
“Thankfully a friend of the family was close by and removed my children from the situation, otherwise the outcome may have been a lot worse,” she said.
“This is the first time that this kind of incident has happened to my children, and I would not like to see it happen to any other child, or family.
“It is my understanding from observing certain behaviour in the community and from speaking to other families, that there are some troubled young people in the area, that really need better guidance.”
Ms Gibson described the perpetrators as “troubled young people”.
“I would like to see them get some help, support and guidance, so that this kind of negative behaviour does not continue.
“I am not sure how these youth feel when they perform these kinds of acts, maybe like they are powerful and tough, but really it leaves the victims scared and traumatised.
“It is upsetting for all involved, and an act like this, remains with the victims for the rest of their lives, it simply takes away their confidence.
“No one should have to live in fear or feel troubled, and I would like to think that Rosewood can be a safe environment for children to travel to and from school, the library and the shops safely without being threatened.”
Ms Gibson reported the incident to the Rosewood Police.
Rosewood OIC, Sgt Travis Ehrich said that given the age of the children involved, the information that he was able to release was limited.
“As a general comment, Rosewood Police have received several complaints regarding the poor behaviours of a small group of young persons within the Rosewood and Walloon areas,” he said.
“These behaviours largely relate to a group of high school aged children causing general disturbances inside and outside the Rosewood library and other businesses in the community that have also extended to assaults and threatening behaviours towards other children and older members of the community.
“The Rosewood library and other public spaces are for the use of all members of the community and those found to be committing offences in those areas will be targeted and excluded.
“Some of the young person’s found to be disrespecting these areas have been between 10 and 12-years-old, without any parental or guardian supervision.
“Section 364A of the Criminal Code Act is clear regarding the responsibilities of parents or guardians of children under 12-years-old regarding the supervision and care required to be provided to that child.
“Do you know where your children are?
“The Rosewood library and the Rosewood Community Centre are consistently running programs to engage with children while providing them with fun activities to keep them occupied, however we all have a responsibility to keep each other safe and to act respectfully.
“As is often the case, the vast majority of the children and other members of the community are doing the right thing and acting respectfully towards others however this is being impacted by the behaviour of a few.”
