Mysterious roadside symbols spark fears quiet neighbourhood is being targeted by burglars or dog thieves
- One symbol consisted of a red circle with several lines drawn through it
- A woman warned they could be used by burglars or dog thieves to target houses
- The symbols were found in the Cairns suburb of Mooroobool in Queensland
Mysterious roadside symbols found in a quiet suburb have sparked fears the neighbourhood is being targeted by criminals.
One symbol found in the Mooroobool, a suburb of Cairns, Queensland, consists of a red circle with several lines drawn through it.
A concerned resident posted a photo of the symbol on Facebook this week and warned they could be used by burglars or dog thieves to mark targets.
One symbol found in the Cairns suburb of Mooroobool in Queensland consists of a red circle with several lines drawn through them
In the woman's post, which has since been deleted, she warns residents their neighbourhood could be the target of criminal activities.
'Over the last two days, I have noticed these markings on the gutters outside of a few houses on my walking route,' the woman wrote, Yahoo News reported.
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'I'm not sure what they are but I thought they may be markings made by thieves.'
She advised everyone to check their property for odd markings and to keep their 'fur babies safe just in case.'
The woman posted the symbol on Facebook this week and warned residents these could be used by burglars or dog thieves to target properties (Mooroobool pictured)
Commenters speculated about the origins of the symbols with some theorising they could have been made by the council, an energy company, or Queensland Transport and Main Roads.
Cairns regional council, Ergon Energy and Queensland Transport and Main Roads all confirmed they were not responsible for the symbols.
Chalk circles drawn on walls have been used by burglars to communicate with each other and provide information about a specific house, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
These symbols identify whether a house is alarmed, has lots of expensive items, a vulnerable occupant, or is too risky to burgle.
Cryptic symbols are regularly used by burglars to communicate with each other and provide information about a specific house
