Cooroy CCTV system instrumental in solving crime

Sgt Mal Scott of Cooroy Police Station praises the CCTV camera system that was installed in Cooroy three years ago when Cooroy Chamber of Commerce received a Safer Streets Grant from the Australian Government, citing two recent examples of the CCTV footage being instrumental in the solving of crimes.

Two 14 and a 15-year-old male youth from Cooroy and Imbil have been arrested and charged with multiple enter premises, vehicle and stealing offences which occurred on the 8th of April, 2020 in a Cooroy residential area. The 14-year-old Cooroy youth has also been charged with going armed in public to cause fear when he allegedly threatened a 23 year old man with a baseball bat after being confronted by witnesses during the commission of the one of the offences. The youths were apprehended shortly after committing the offences by Cooroy police. Evidence was then gathered which included CCTV footage of the juveniles leaving the scene of the offences and also from witnesses who observed the youths committing the offences. Once again, the Cooroy CCTV Security Camera system proved instrumental in the solving of these offences as it has done on many other occasions since being installed just over 3 years ago. It is also pleasing to note that several members of the public were prepared to confront the youths and call the police when they witnessed the youths acting suspiciously early in the morning. The Noosa Child Protection Investigation Unit (CPIU) Detectives have charged the two offenders after a comprehensive investigation with both due to face Maroochydore Children’s Court in the near future.

In a separate incident, the Cooroy Junior Rugby League fields were damaged on the night of the 14th April 2020 at about 11.30pm when a car was driven onto the main footy field of the club and damaged by the vehicle hooning and spinning its wheels, resulting in turf being ripped up and deep furrows being dug. The damage required extensive repair work by the club’s volunteers.  The Cooroy Footy Club is run by community volunteers who take extreme pride in their club which is the envy of the entire Sunshine Coast Community due to its pristine playing surface and outstanding club house, facilities and Club Spirit.  Like most other sporting organisations, the club is going through hard times at present, so the timing of this damage was a real kick in the guts for the club.   What the perpetrators of this crime didn’t bank on was the community spirit turning their attention to catching the culprits with three youths quickly identified by police and the Noosa CPIU identifying and charging two 15-year olds and a 17 year old youth with the damage. Footage obtained from the Cooroy CCTV Footage was also instrumental in solving this incident.  Small town policing often sees police involved in local sporting clubs on a personal basis so good work to the Noosa CPIU Officers for rounding up the Offenders.