Eighteen shopfronts and two parked cars in Tugun, on the southern Gold Coast, were damaged in the early hours of Oct. 17, and a 35-year-old man is now in custody. Police were called to the area at about 3am after reports that a man was smashing up businesses and vehicles.
Three streets, one night
Police allege the damage ran across Teemangum Street, the Gold Coast Highway and Golden Four Drive. Golden Four Drive is the suburb’s main shopping stretch, a former section of the old Brisbane to Sydney highway that was renamed after the four golden beaches nearby: Tugun, Bilinga, North Kirra and Kirra. For the small traders along it, a night like this means broken glass to clear and a morning of lost trade.
Tugun is a beach-side suburb of about 7,175 people at the 2021 census. It sits where the Pacific and Gold Coast highways meet, roughly seven kilometres from Coolangatta and right on the New South Wales border. Since the Tugun Bypass opened in June 2008, through traffic has largely avoided the local streets, which leaves the shops depending on visitors, holiday-unit guests and locals.
What police want now
The man was taken into custody and is assisting officers with their investigations. Police have not named him, and no charges had been announced when the appeal went out.
Investigators are asking any business that suffered damage, or that holds CCTV vision, to contact Policelink and quote reference QP2602051337. Information can go through the online suspicious activity form at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting, which runs around the clock. Anyone who prefers to stay anonymous can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.
Sources
Photo: User:Orderinchaos (CC BY-SA 3.0)
