A Toowoomba couple in their seventies say they no longer feel safe in their own home after three armed intruders attempted to force their way inside late one evening.
Marie Taylor, 76, and her husband were at home in South Toowoomba last Friday night when the terrifying ordeal unfolded. The couple, who have lived in their house for 50 years, were shocked when three masked offenders arrived on their doorstep carrying knives and a shovel.
The incident was captured on the couple’s home security cameras. The footage shows the group trying to kick in the front door around 9pm, rattling the handle and banging repeatedly before finally leaving after 10 to 15 minutes.
Marie had been watching television while her husband was asleep. She was startled by the sudden loud knocks and quickly realised something was very wrong.
“I was scared and I was angry. They tried to get in the door, and it wouldn’t budge,” she said. “I told them to leave, and they started trying to kick it in. I yelled that I was calling the police and woke up my husband.”
While no one was injured and the intruders did not manage to get inside, the couple say the fear has not left them. For the first time in decades, they are questioning whether their home is truly safe.
“I grew up in a time when people didn’t lock their doors. That’s the way it was when I raised my children too. But it’s not like that anymore,” Marie said.
“We’ve got cameras around the house now because we just don’t feel secure like we used to.”
The emotional toll of the attempted break-in has been significant. Marie said she still finds it hard to believe that their quiet street could become the scene of such a frightening event. What makes it worse, she said, is that she feels powerless in the face of what she sees as a growing crime problem.
“I don’t know what the solution is. I don’t think the politicians or the judges do either. These kids get caught, go to court, and are straight back out doing the same thing. It’s a vicious cycle.”
Marie wants to see more done by local authorities to address youth crime, including better programs to engage children and teens before they end up in the justice system.
“Toowoomba doesn’t have enough activities for young people. The council needs to invest in things for them to do,” she said.
Police confirmed they are still investigating the incident and are looking into whether it is linked to another attempted break-in in Glenvale later that same night.
For now, the Taylors are trying to move on with life as normal, but the lingering fear has left a mark.
“You never think it’s going to happen to you. But when it does, everything changes,” Marie said.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact police.
