South Burnett property crime has been disrupted following the arrest of fifteen people on almost 75 charges as Operation Viper draws to a close.
In the past fortnight officers from the South Burnett Patrol Group joined forces with the Darling Downs District Tactical Crime Squad and Toowoomba Highway Patrol undertaking a proactive and coordinated operation spanning Kingaroy to Kilkivan, taking in Wondai, Murgon, Cherbourg and Goomeri.
Darling Downs District Superintendent Danny Shaw said the operation focused on enhancing community safety and enjoyed the full support of the community.
“Our message to those doing the wrong thing is – we will catch up with you and when we do, you will face the consequences of your actions,” Superintendent Shaw said.
Two teenage boys were arrested and charged with a combined 29 offences.
A 16-year-old Cherbourg boy was charged with robbery using personal violence after he approached a woman on Parkside Drive on February 9, allegedly punching her in the face and stealing her handbag. The boy then fled the scene in a stolen vehicle driven by another person.
The boy is due to appear in the Murgon Children’s Court later this month in relation to this incident and nine other property related charges including three counts each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and enter premise with intent, one count of attempted enter premise to commit an indictable offence and two counts of stealing.
Investigations are continuing with respect to the apprehension of the driver and recovery of the stolen vehicle.
A 15-year-old Cherbourg boy was charged with nineteen property related offences, including six counts of enter premise to commit an indictable offence, two counts of enter dwelling to commit an indictable offence, six counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, three counts of wilful damage, one count of burglary, and one count of stealing. He was denied police bail and will appear in Murgon Children’s Court later this month.
Police will allege a 28-year-old Cherbourg man was a passenger in a stolen vehicle that evaded police on the Bunya Highway in Murgon on Thursday February 10, which was later used in an attempted break in at a Main Street, Tingoora business. Police linked the vehicle to a break in at a MacAlister St, Murgon business later that evening where a quantity of alcohol was stolen. He was charged with one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, one count of attempt enter premise to commit an indictable offence, one count of enter premise to commit an indictable offence and one count of possess dangerous drugs and was refused police bail, appearing in Murgon Magistrates Court on Wednesday February 16.
A 20-year-old Cherbourg man was arrested at a Barber Street residence this morning, before trying to flee police by escaping through a backyard and scaling a fence before being tackled by officers. He was charged with the theft of the abovementioned vehicle along with 24 other property, drugs and driving charges. They include allege vehicle thefts from Kingaroy and Goomeri residences and the burglary of a Mackenzie St, Wonadai business where a quantity of alcohol was taken, and the burglary of a Haager Drive, Moffatdale business where a cash register and lollies were stolen. He was denied police bail and will appear in Kingaroy Magistrates Court tomorrow. Police will allege this offender broke into a police officers wife’s private vehicle on Thursday February 10 at their Tingaoora home, while her detective husband was investigating linked property offences. Officers later recovered the stolen personal property while investigating other alleged crimes the man is suspected of committing.
Detectives from Kingaroy CIB arrested a 51-year-old Googa Creek man following alleged threats made to harm police. Two pistols and multiple cannabis plants and utensils were allegedly located following the execution of a search warrant at a Googa Creek address on February 9. The man was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of weapons, two counts of possess dangerous drugs, one count of produce dangerous drugs, one count of possess things used in the commission of a drug crime, one count of possess drug utensil, one count of possess explosives (ammunition) and one count of threat police.
Toowoomba Highway Patrol, Blackbutt and Yarraman officers intercepted a vehicle driven by a 35-year-old Taabinga man on the D’Agiular Highway at Gilla on February 13 following the driver being sighted allegedly using a mobile phone while behind the wheel. Upon searching the vehicle, police will allege they recovered a cache of five knives, including two hatchets and a machete and drug utensils. The man was denied police bail and charged with one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, driving while disqualified by court order, fail to take reasonable care and precautions in respect of syringe or needle, possession of a knife in a public place and possess property suspected of having been used in connection with a crime. He was also issued with a number of traffic infringement notices.
Late last night detectives charged a 17-year-old Cherbourg boy with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, one count of burglary and one count of enter premise with intent to commit an indictable offence. He was refused police bail and will appear in Kingaroy Children’s Court later this week.
Superintendent Shaw praised the hard work of the region’s police throughout the operation which was led by Senior Sergeant Brett Everest, Officer-in-Charge Murgon station.
“While this phase of the operation had come to a close, police would continue to target property crime in South Burnett and called on the community to continue to partner with police and report all theft or suspicious activity.”
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