Central Queensland police have implored the community to leave investigations of youth crime to authorities, after two people were charged following a large protest.
Nearly 100 people gathered in Rockhampton on Sunday amid surging youth crime in the city.
The protesters massed in Central Park in North Rockhampton and surrounded two homes, banging on windows and doors, leading to two people being charged with trespass offences.
"I 100 per cent understand people are frustrated and they're angry," Detective Inspector Luke Peachey told reporters on Thursday.
"I'm a resident here too, I've lived here for 25 years now - it disgusts me some of the behaviour going on now with our property offences.
"But the last thing we can have is untrained people going around and trying to take matters into their own hands."
Insp Peachey said that at one stage, four people jumped into the back yard of someone's home.
"Already we've charged two of those people with trespass, so the messaging out there is 'Leave it up to police','' he said.
"By all means have your peaceful protests, but if you're detected committing an offence, then you will be charged."
Insp Peachey said he understood the community's frustration, but vigilantism would not ease tensions.
"We've got a designated property team working 24/7 trying to detect these offences and trying to bring them before custody," he said.
"The last thing we need to do is be taking resources away from them to go and investigate good people who have become angry and started committing offences."