Goondiwindi as the crow flies is four and a half hours west of Brisbane.
Close to 6000 people call it home, but many of them say they live in fear and are being held hostage by youth criminals.
“I get home from work at night and my eight-year-old wakes up terrified because she thinks someone’s breaking in, it’s heartbreaking,” resident Marlana Bishop said.
In just the last seven days, there have been two violent break-ins, with windows of homes smashed, and vehicles stolen.
An elderly woman was pushed to the ground, with her keys and car stolen.
A teacher tried to defend himself and he was bashed in the mouth with a baton by thieves armed with machetes.
Many of the stolen cars from Goondiwindi end up in the NSW …