Police have charged 31 people with a combined 94 offences following a coordinated four-day policing operation targeting property, drug and motor vehicle offending across the South Burnett Region.
Operation Lionrock was conducted across Kingaroy, Blackbutt, Wondai, Murgon and Cherbourg between 25 and 28 May, with police undertaking a range of proactive enforcement activities designed to disrupt criminal behaviour and enhance community safety.
Throughout the operation, officers executed multiple search warrants, conducted bail compliance checks and carried out targeted street checks as part of a high-visibility policing response.
The operation brought together specialist and frontline resources from the Murgon Criminal Investigation Branch, the Darling Downs District Tactical Crime Squad, the Highway Patrol Unit, and general duty officers from surrounding stations.
The proactive enforcement activity resulted in the detection of numerous offences, including 24 drug offences, 10 property offences, 16 traffic-related offences and 16 offences against the person, including assault and DV-related offences.
On 24 May, officers observed a male rider on a black Honda CBR650 motorcycle with two young children not wearing helmets travelling along Barambah Avenue in Cherbourg.
Police will allege that, when they attempted to intercept the motorbike on Murray Street, the driver accelerated away from police before abandoning it and leaving the scene.
He was arrested on 25 May at a Cherbourg address and charged with 8 offences, including driving without a license, driving unregistered, driving uninsured, driving without a helmet, evade and obstruct police.
The 29-year-old Cherbourg man was also charged with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm following an alleged assault involving a 20-year-old Cherbourg woman on 1 May.
He is due to appear in the Murgon Magistrates Court on 18 June.
On 26 May, officers attended an address in Cherbourg as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged assault.
Around 2.40pm on 22 May, a 73-year-old man was allegedly pushed to the ground by a 36-year-old man following a verbal altercation on a footpath.
He received minor injuries.
A 36-year-old Cherbourg man has been charged with one count of serious assault as well as two counts of contravening a domestic violence order and is due to appear in Murgon Magistrates Court on 9 June.
On 28 May, police conducted a search warrant at an Enid Court address in Blackbutt North and enquiries at a River Road address in Kingaroy, arresting three people following ongoing investigations into an alleged assault at Kilkivan on 22 May.
Police will allege a man and a teenage boy were approached by three males on Hall Street in Kilkivan and were physically assaulted before the three offenders left the scene.
It is alleged that the group were involved in an earlier traffic altercation along the Wide Bay Highway.
A 56-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy, both from Wondai, received non-life-threatening injuries.
A 37-year-old Blackbutt North man has been charged with one count of assault occasioning bodily harm and a 19-year-old Blackbutt North man has been charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and threatening violence.
Both men are due to appear in the Kingaroy Magistrates Court on 10 June.
A 17-year-old Blackbutt teenage boy has been charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assault occasioning bodily harm and common assault.
He is due to appear in Kingaroy Childrens Court on 8 June.
Assistance Commissioner Matthew Vanderbyl said the operation reflected an ongoing commitment to targeting recidivist offenders and reducing crime across the region.
"This operation demonstrates our continued focus on identifying and disrupting criminal activity across the district, including the South Burnett Region," Assistant Commissioner Vanderbyl said.
"Through targeted enforcement action and proactive policing strategies, we are sending a clear message that unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated, and offenders will be held to account."
Darling Downs District Acting Superintendent Kelly Hanlen said police will continue to utilise intelligence-led operations to address emerging crime trends and maintain a strong community presence.
"Our officers remain committed to working collaboratively with specialist units and local police to detect offending, support victims and improve community safety outcomes," Acting Superintendent Hanlen said.
Operation Lionrock strengthens ongoing activities as part of the Queensland Police Service's statewide run Operation Yankee Forge, which between 27 February and 31 May has resulted in police charging 247 people with 731 offences related to robbery, unlawful entry and unlawful use of a motor vehicle across the Darling Downs District.
Vision Time Stamps:
0.00 -00.15: A 29-year-old Cherbourg man has been charged with 8 offences, including driving without a license, driving unregistered, driving uninsured, driving without a helmet, evade and obstruct police following an alleged traffic offence on 24 May.
0.15 - 0.35: A 36-year-old Cherbourg man has been charged with serious assault following an investigation into an alleged incident on 22 May.
0.35 - END: Two men and a 17-year-old boy have been charged following an investigation into an alleged assault following a traffic incident at Kilkivan on 22 May.
Operation Yankee Forge is a six-month, district-led, statewide initiative targeting high-harm and high-volume offences, including unlawful use of motor vehicles, unlawful entry and robbery.
The operation will enhance policing activities across Queensland to reduce victim numbers and strengthen community safety.
Police regions, supported by specialist squads, will undertake coordinated disruption activities across the state. Police will target high-harm offenders and work closely with partner agencies to ensure offenders are held accountable. With a strong focus on crime prevention, police will be highly visible as they prevent, disrupt and investigate offending, with particular emphasis on unlawful use, robbery and unlawful entry.
The operation will be locally led and centrally coordinated, leveraging the knowledge and experience of officers who know their communities best.
