Ipswich stabbing death – Fed-up residents of a community riddled with youth crime are considering moving out of the area after a great-grandmother was allegedly murdered at a busy supermarket.
Vyleen White, 70, was allegedly stabbed to death by a teen carjacker in front of her six-year-old granddaughter in the underground carpark at Redbank Plains Town Square, in south-east Brisbane, at 6.10pm on Saturday.
Mrs White, a retired religion teacher, was buying snacks for bible study later that evening.
Five teen boys, three aged 16 and two aged 15, have been charged with various offences related to the incident.
The tragedy has sparked public outrage as Queenslanders call for authorities to tackle youth crime rates which have terrorised the state for years.
Locals Amanda Barrett and Chris Boyce said they wanted to leave the area, which has become a hotspot for illegal and antisocial behaviour.
Fed-up residents of a community riddled with youth crime are considering moving out of the area after a great-grandmother was allegedly murdered at a busy supermarket. Amanda Barrett and Chris Boyce say they want to leave after a surge in illegal and antisocial behaviour
Ms Barrett said she was at the supermarket just two hours before the alleged attack on Mrs White. ‘It’s just shocking,’ she said.
‘I’ve been crying this week [for Mrs White and her family]. I use that car park all the time. It could have easily been me.
‘This area is particularly bad [for youth crime]. Our house was broken into a while back. Now, after this, we are ready to move.’
Ms Barrett said most of the problems at the shopping centre happen in the underground car park where Mrs White was allegedly killed.
She said there had been a rape in a bathroom in that car park, leaving women afraid to use the amenities.
She said she would like to see authorities combat the issue by increasing patrols in the area.
Asked what factors may be contributing to youth crime, Mr Boyce said he believed poor child-rearing practices had led to younger generations having no respect for rules.
‘I think it starts in the home. There needs to be more discipline,’ he said.
‘They [younger generations] have no boundaries.’
Chris Ebare, who runs a youth group through his Pentecostal church, Believers Love Ministries, believes youth crime issues stem from children coming from broken homes.
‘They don’t have someone to teach them values,’ he said.
‘We are here today [contributing to society] because someone taught us values.’
Mr Ebare, who migrated to Australia several years ago to study, said he came from a broken home but was fortunate his grandmother taught him morals.
He believes his path may have been very different otherwise and is calling for the government to consider funding religious programs to teach children values as a way of reducing crime rates.
Chris Ebare, who runs a youth group through his Pentecostal church, Believers Love Ministries, believes youth crime issues stem from children coming from broken homes
‘Churches can fill that gap. Because these kids don’t have a family system to fall back on,’ he said.
Akwol Pajok, who is originally from South Sudan, has lived in the area for four years. She said she was shocked to hear about the alleged murder.
‘It’s not good. I hope they fix it [youth crime],’ she said.
‘I’ve never heard of anything like this happening. Sometimes I hear about things happening in the news [like petty youth crime], but I haven’t been concerned.
‘I just come here and shop and go home.’
Ms Pajok said while the incident was alarming, she wouldn’t be deterred from using the shopping centre.
Akwol Pajok, who is originally from South Sudan, and has lived in the area for four years, said she was shocked to hear about the alleged murder
However, Emma Warn said it appeared many locals were avoiding the area in the wake of the tragedy.
‘This [area] is very quiet today,’ she said. ‘Normally you can’t get a park.’
While she has never personally been victimised, Ms Warn said she was aware of many thefts and home invasions around the area through posts in community social media groups.
‘I’ve heard a lot of stories, you know, about people being in their car and people just breaking in just as they are loading their groceries,’ she said.
‘It’s not even at night either; it could be during the day.’
Ms Warn said it was ‘horrendous’ to learn of the alleged murder of Mrs White, adding the news had struck a chord with the community.
‘She was a poor, innocent woman shopping with her granddaughter. It could have happened to anyone,’ she said.
Ms Warn said she would like to see authorities address the issue by bolstering security around the shopping centre.
She said many local shops grapple with theft and increasing security guards around the vicinity may act as a deterrent.
A memorial amassed outside the Aldi supermarket in honour of Mrs White grew overnight as devastated members of the community left flowers and candles.
Emma Warn said it appeared many locals were avoiding the area in the wake of the tragedy
Placing a bouquet of natives at the site, Melissa Halliday said two supermarkets within the precinct were completely out of flowers, but she was able to snap up one of the last bouquets after visiting a third store.
Like the rest of the community, Ms Halliday was devastated to hear about the death of Mrs White.
Having recently become a grandmother herself, the news hit close to home.
‘This could have happened to any member of someone’s family. Mrs White was a member of our [community] family,’ she said.
‘I honestly have no words. I’m in shock, but at the same time I’m not surprised because a lot of crime happens here.’
Ms Halliday said crime in the area had made her extra vigilant while shopping.
She said advocates against domestic violence and child abuse had been rallying the government to address crime issues in the state.
She believes one of the issues affecting youth crime is how offenders are treated within the justice system and she hopes authorities will crack down by imposing tougher penalties for youth offenders.
Melissa Halliday said crime in the area had made her extra vigilant while shopping
Two officers remained stationed at the centre on Tuesday after Queensland Police vowed to ramp up patrols amid growing pressure for change.
Three African community liaison officers were also on site, speaking to members of the public.
Meanwhile, Mrs White has been remembered by her heartbroken family as a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who always had time for those around her and went out of her way to make those she loved feel special.
A GoFundMe set up to help Mrs White’s family has so far raised more than $19,000, and a Change.org petition calling for a crackdown on youth crime is rapidly gaining signatures.
The mother-of-three was allegedly ambushed at her car as she pulled into the underground car park early on Saturday night.
Her granddaughter allegedly witnessed the horror attack and screamed for help as the accused knifeman fled in her grandmother’s blue 2009 Hyundai Getz.
CCTV footage allegedly captured four teenagers of African appearance abandoning the vehicle nearby in a suburban street in Springfield Lakes.
Vyleen White (pictured) was stabbed to death in the underground car park of Town Square Redbank Plains Shopping Centre on Saturday
A 15-year-old boy was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle after allegedly handing himself into police on Monday.
Four other teenagers were arrested on Tuesday by heavily armed police, with footage posted online showing officers dressed in tactical gear swarming suburban homes.
They include a 16-year-old from Bellbird Park charged with murder, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and stealing; and two other 16-year-olds, one from Bellbird Park and another from Goodna, both charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Another 15-year-old was arrested in Redbank Plains and charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle and possessing tainted property.
All five matters remain before the courts.
