May 20, 2025
Five people face a total of 69 charges after recent arrests by Kingaroy detectives at Memerambi and Kingaroy.
Police will allege the four men and one woman are linked to a string of property and vehicle thefts.
On April 30, detectives were called to property on Memerambi-Barkers Creek Road at Memerambi where they found a 36-year-old Blackbutt man riding a quad bike. Police then spotted another quad bike and a caravan.
On the same day, police tracked a 1997 Toyota LandCruiser from Chinchilla to Candello Close in Kingaroy, where they allegedly located a firearm, ammunition, a quantity of methamphetamine and several items of property, including tools. A 26-year-old Chinchilla man and a 23-year-old Kingaroy woman were arrested.
After further investigations, on May 6 detectives tracked a second vehicle, a 2006 Toyota LandCruiser utility, from Chahpingah to a Wilsonton business where a second firearm, ammunition, property and drugs were allegedly located in the vehicle.
It will be alleged the two quad bikes, firearm, ammunition and tools – including a chainsaw – were stolen from Marmadua, in the Western Downs region, on April 24.
The caravan was allegedly stolen from Kilcoy on April 25, and the second recovered firearm was allegedly stolen from a property in Cooranga on March 16.
Police believe more property found in the vehicles was stolen from several properties across the Darling Downs and south-west between March and May this year.
The five people charged are:
- A 36-year-old Blackbutt man – charged with trespass, drug possession and two counts of possessing tainted property; due to appear in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on May 30.
- A 23-year-old Kingaroy woman – charged with two counts of receiving tainted property plus single counts of drug possession, unlawful possession of prescription medication, possessing drug utensils, burglary, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle; due to appear in Kingaroy Magistrates Court on May 30.
- A 26-year-old Chinchilla man – charged with six counts of stealing, four counts of receiving tainted property, three counts of disqualified driving, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count each of burglary, enter premises, unlawful possession of a firearm, possess explosive (ammunition), drug possession and fail to take care with respect of syringes. He is due back before Kingaroy Magistrates Court on June 27.
- A 28-year-old Chinchilla man – charged with eight counts of stealing, six counts of wilful damage, four counts of receiving tainted property and entering premises, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, disqualified driving and possession of a weapon and one count each of drug possession, possessing drug utensils, carrying a loaded firearm in public, possessing explosives (ammunition) and wilful damage. He appeared in Dalby Magistrates Court on May 10 and is due to reappear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on June 9.
- A 27-year-old man Taabinga man – charged with two counts of possessing a firearm plus charges of possessing a firearm with an altered serial number and possessing explosives (ammunition). His arrest followed patrols near Kingaroy Airport on March 28 where police observed a man and a woman acting suspiciously. Police allegedly found a .22 mag rifle and ammunition after searching their vehicle. On April 22, police searched a property at Taabinga where they allegedly located a second firearm, a .243 rifle. Both weapons were identified as having been stolen from the Cooranga property on March 16.
The Chinchilla men are believed to have formerly resided in the South Burnett.
Kingaroy CIB officer-in-charge Detective Sergeant Scott Prendergast said the arrests were the result of hard work and commitment.
“This has been an extensive investigation and is a great result,” he said.
“We will continue to work hard to weed out these criminals and remove them from our community.
“This is also a timely reminder for all property owners to take the necessary steps to ensure their property is secure, to significantly reduce the risk of theft.”
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