July 13, 2022
The closure of two police operations across the South Burnett has resulted in 29 people being charged with 47 offences and 138 infringement notices issued.
Operation Icicle targeted dangerous road behaviours across the Darling Downs and South Burnett.
Between July 10 and July 14:
- 1254 random breath tests were conducted,
- 98 random drug driving tests were conducted, and
- 135 traffic infringement notices issued
As a result, 20 people will be facing a total of 33 charges, including:
- Four people charged with drink-driving,
- Fourteen charged with drug-driving,
- Nine charged with possessing dangerous drugs,
- Two charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle,
- Two located during an intercept charged with stealing,
- One located during an intercept charged with attempted robbery, and
- One located during an intercept charged with entering premises and committing an indictable offence.
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On Saturday, police conducting patrols as part of Operation Icicle pulled over a Ford ute towing a car trailer on the D’Aguilar Highway at Nanango.
Police will allege the vehicle on the trailer was not properly secured.
However, when they looked inside, they spotted a 13-year-old boy seated inside the vehicle on the trailer.
As the doors of the vehicle could not be opened, police smashed the windscreen to safely remove the boy.
The driver, a 75-year-old Jundah man, was issued with three infringement notices: drive vehicle when load not appropriately restrained, drive vehicle non-compliant with mass requirement and drive with person in trailer being towed. The fines totalled $823.
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On Friday, a vehicle was stopped by officers from the Kingaroy Highway Patrol and CIB on the Bunya Highway at Wooroolin about 11:00am.
A 22-year-old Cherbourg man was located allegedly hiding in the back seat and taken into custody.
He has been charged with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count each of attempted robbery, stealing and enter premises to commit an indictable offence.
He appeared before Murgon Magistrates Court on July 8.
The driver of the vehicle, a 28-year-old Cherbourg man, was charged with drug-driving and is expected to appear before Murgon Magistrates Court on August 16.
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The second police action was Operation Boa, which involved officers across the State Road Policing Taskforce; Toowoomba, Kingaroy and Darling Downs District Highway Patrol, Brisbane Dog Squad and detectives across the district.
It targeted property crime, drug and driving offences.
A number of search warrants were executed resulting in nine Cherbourg residents being charged with 14 offences:
- An 18-year-old woman charged with possessing drug utensils and serious assault of a police officer. She is expected to appear before Murgon Magistrates Court on August 2,
- A 17-year-old boy dealt with under the Youth Justice Act in relation to an alleged stealing offence,
- A 20-year-old woman fined $1500 in relation to three stealing offences,
- A 14-year-old girl dealt with under the Youth Justice Act in relation to possessing drug utensils and restricted liquor,
- A 25-year-old man charged with possessing drug utensils and obstructing police; he is expected to appear in Murgon Magistrates Court on August 2,
- A 39-year-old man charged with attempted arson, enter dwelling with intent, contravening a domestic violence order and possessing drug utensils; he was remanded in custody to appear in Murgon Magistrates Court on October 4,
- A 21-year-old man charged with committing an indecent act; he was remanded in custody to appear in Murgon Magistrates Court on September 13,
- An 18-year-old man accepted a drug diversion after being located in possession of drug utensil,
- A 34-year-old man charged with possessing utensils and failing to properly dispose of needles; he is expected to appear in Murgon Magistrates Court on August 30.
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South Burnett Patrol Group Inspector Scott Stahlhut said the two operations displayed the Queensland Police Service’s commitment to keeping the community safe.
“The QPS is dedicated to proactive policing targeting behaviours on our roads and in our community that put innocent members of the public at risk,” he said.
“Officers across multiple units and divisions worked collaboratively on Operation Icicle and Operation Boa, successfully putting 25 alleged offenders before the court.”
