A man and woman have been charged following two alleged violent armed robberies in the Townsville area yesterday evening and a home invasion which has left an elderly male in a critical condition.
It will be alleged around 4.30pm a taxi driver picked up a man and two women from a licensed venue on Charters Towers Road and was asked to drive them to Pallarenda.
When they arrived, the male passenger asked the 25-year-old male driver to get out of the car.
The driver refused and the man allegedly punched him in the face, while a female passenger in the back seat produced a knife.
The driver exited the vehicle and the trio drove away along Cape Pallarenda Road.
The car was located abandoned a short time later at Jezzine Barracks.
It will be further alleged at 9.30pm a 23-year-old man parked his vehicle in a gym carpark on Woolcock Street in Hyde Park and was approached by a man who threatened him with a samurai sword.
The man then allegedly drove off in the victim’s car with a female passenger.
A short time later police witnessed the same vehicle driving along Palmerston Street with the male driver allegedly waving a samurai sword out the window.
Officers attempted to intercept the vehicle however it sped off. Police continued to follow the stolen car for several kilometres on Ross River Road until it allegedly crossed the medium strip and drove north along the wrong side of the road.
After 10pm the same car was seen again in Cranbrook where it was driven onto vacant land before the occupants fled.
Police immediately established a cordon and commenced a search of the area.
Officers then received reports of a man attempting to barricade himself inside of a house backing onto the vacant land.
Police forced entry into the home and took a man and woman into custody.
Upon entering the residence officers located a 69-year-old man with critical injuries. It is alleged he was the victim of a serious assault and not known to the man and woman.
He was transported to hospital with multiple head and other injuries.
A 23-year-old Mareeba man has been charged with two counts each of armed robbery in company with violence, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count of grievous bodily harm, common assault, dangerous operation of a vehicle, enter dwelling with intent and wilful damage.
A 2-year-old Hyde Park woman has been charged with two counts each of armed robbery in company with violence, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count of grievous bodily harm, wilful damage and enter dwelling with intent.
Both are due to appear in Townsville Magistrates Court today (April 13).
