Karlie Brady

Journalist

A Port Douglas family have had a fright after waking in the middle of the night to find someone in their Reef Park house.

Last weekend, Port Douglas dad, Sam Liddell was woken by the sound of a squeaky door. Upon investigating, he found a figure in his hallway looking through a cupboard just a metre from his three-year-old daughter’s bedroom door.

“I was shocked, he was straight across from my daughter’s room and the first thing you think about is your children and why is a stranger so close to them?” he said.

“It was the last thing I expected to see here in our quiet neighbourhood.”

Mr Liddell called out and moved towards the intruder causing him to flee the house allegedly carrying two bottles of alcohol, one of which he dropped and smashed on the way out.

“I followed him about halfway down the street and he continued on and went straight back into a house where there had been a local party going on for most of the night.”

Mr Liddell believes the alleged trespasser was about 15 years old and was looking to steal alcohol.

“We didn't realise he was just a teenager chasing booze at the time, he was so close to the kids; my thoughts were what was he doing down the hallway so close to my children? I was just worried about my family, and I would do anything to protect my family, I didn't know how it was going to turn out, so it was scary.”

Three houses on the same street were also broken into that night.

“He had all the doors open and all the cupboards open and was going through everything but I'm pretty sure he was just going after the drinks, that’s all everyone else in the street had stolen as well,” Mr Liddell said.

“We are all for people having fun, but the gutsiness shown by these kids is not okay. Why are they entering people's houses in our community?

“It might just be alcohol this time but what happens down the track when they get a bit gutsier, they might come in and rob the house.

“It's not good enough that there are kids in our community who think that is okay to do.”

Mr Liddell said it has made him become more vigilant with security.

“I imagine most people are pretty relaxed in Port Douglas and so it's a reminder for everyone to be more vigilant.

“Be aware that this can happen in our community, you hear about it in Cairns all the time so it's just disappointing that it's happening here.”

Port Douglas police are investigating the incident.

“It’s still an ongoing investigation. However, it appears it was a small group of youths looking for drinks before heading to a party,” Port Douglas Police Sergeant Damian Meadows said.

“That type of behaviour is out of the norm for our area, normally break-ins are committed by people from out of town, we don’t have a high rate in our community from locals.

“However, this incident coincided with a party, and it would appear the items that were stolen from a number of houses was alcohol.

“If you see usual activity don’t hesitate to call us; if someone is inside your residence call Triple Zero.”

Sergeant Meadows also urged the entire community to remember to lock up and put valuables away.

“As soon as you make things harder to obtain it reduces the offender’s appetite.”