Charges laid after string of car thefts

POLICE have arrested and charged a 22-year-old man who stole a number of cars on Good Friday and led police on a chase through Toowoomba.

The man’s alleged crimes began at 6am on Friday when he entered a home on Weymouth Street, Bundamba and stole a silver Nissan Pathfinder.

At 12.40pm, he then attended a service station on Jones Rd at Bell Bird Park where he allegedly stole fuel.

At 9.20pm, the man approached a 47-year-old woman on Dunlop Rd at Esk saying he had been involved in a traffic crash.

The woman offered assistance to the man and the man allegedly threatened the woman, demanded her car and said he had a knife.

He then drove off with the woman’s silver Hyundai Elantra, but as he was driving away lost control and crashed it into a fence.

At 9.45pm, the man allegedly approached another house on Dunlop Rd.

He confronted the residents saying he had hurt his back in a car accident.

When a 65-year-old man tried to offer him support, he walked past him and entered the house.

The man stole a set of car keys from inside the house for a beige Mitsubishi Grandis.

The 65-year-old man and a 71-year-old woman tried to stop the man from stealing their Mitsubishi, resulting in the man driving the car into a fridge and the garage, causing damage to both.

At 12am on Saturday, the car was sighted on Euston Road at Glenvale, where police successfully deployed a tyre deflation device.

The man continued to drive while being pursued by police.

The pursuit was later terminated.

At noon Sunday, police arrested a 22-year-old Gatton man and charged him with robbery whilst armed, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, enter dwelling with intent, wilful damage, common assault, stealing and failing to provide specimen of breath.

The man is due to appear in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court today.