Since opening in Kirwan a year ago, the Street University has worked with over 600 young people, including some of the city’s most troubled repeat offenders. The new program apples the principles from drug addiction treatment to help kids who are ‘hooked on the thrill’ of stealing cars.

Matt Noffs, CEO of the Ted Noffs Foundation, compares the adrenaline rush many kids get from stealing cars to the chemical reactions triggered by drug use. ‘They are chasing a buzz and recognising that is really important as a step towards figuring out how to reduce the problem,’ Mr Noffs said.

‘I think crime in Townsville has gotten to a point where we need innovative and different responses.’

Officer in Charge of Kirwan Police Station, Matt Lyons, agreed that there seems to be a generation of kids in Townsville who seem ‘hooked on the thrill of the chase.’

He stresses the importance of balancing accountability with proactive intervention and acknowledges that law enforcement alone is not enough.

‘It’s also about working with other agencies and initiatives, like the Street University, to look at ways to make the community feel safer. That’s our primary driver,’ he said.

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Officer in Charge of Kirwan Police Station Matty Lyons and Matt Noffs, CEO Ted Noffs Foundation. They are working together on a ground-breaking new program targeting kids who are ‘addicted to the high’ they get when stealing cars. Photo credit: Shae Beplate