July 30, 2019
Police have arrested and charged two men with multiple offences following a dramatic police chase involving the dog squad at Maidenwell on Monday afternoon.
The men’s alleged crime spree began in Chinchilla early on Monday morning before spreading to Upper Yarraman, Nanango, Maidenwell and Blackbutt.
Police will allege a 20-year-old Blackbutt man and a 27-year-old Chinchilla man stole a Toyota utility from Chinchilla after the driver left it unlocked with the keys in the ignition outside a Warrego Highway store at 5:35am.
At 11:05am, it will be alleged the men forced their way into an Upper Yarraman residence by smashing a side door.
There they allegedly stole food and clothing before forcing open a gun safe.
At 11:15am, it will be alleged the men stole a Hyundai sedan and a fuel drum from a Nanango property.
The stolen Toyota from Chinchilla was later located burnt out a short distance from the Nanango location.
At noon, police spotted the Hyundai on the Maidenwell-Bunya Mountains Road and attempted to intercept the vehicle however the driver refused to stop.
Officer-in-charge of Kingaroy Police, Senior Sergeant David Tierney, said police abandoned the attempted intercept due to the manner in which the vehicle was being driven and the danger to the public.
At 1:00pm, the men allegedly drove off from the Maidenwell Trading Post without paying for fuel.
Snr Sgt Tierney said police who were tracking the men successfully deployed a tyre deflation device on Kingaroy-Cooyar Road a short time later.
However, they continued to drive the Hyundai for another two kilometres before abandoning the vehicle and taking off on foot through paddocks.
The 27-year-old man was tracked by the Dog Squad to a nearby location.
The 20-year-old continued to avoid detection before allegedly stealing another Toyota LandCruiser about 3:00pm from a Kingaroy-Cooyar Road property in the Tarong area.
He then drove to a Margaret Street address in Blackbutt where he was seen by police running from the abandoned vehicle.
At 5:00pm, he allegedly broke into a house in Johns Street, Blackbutt.
Snr Sgt Tierney said police found the man hiding in the bathroom after being alerted by the resident, who was home at the time.
The men are due to appear in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old man has been charged with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and one count each of arson, unlicensed driving and break and enter.
The 20-year-old man has been charged with the unlawful use of three vehicles, arson, two counts of break and enter, two counts of evading police, three counts of stealing, dangerous operation of a vehicle and possession of drug utensils.
It is expected further charges will laid including the theft of security cameras from Council waste facilities on July 16 and 17.
[UPDATED]
