Raid finds $30,000 in stolen property

TWO people were charged and more than $30,000 of stolen property has been seized after a protracted investigation on the Darling and Southern Downs.

After police investigations into an online equipment dealer, a search warrant was carried out at a rural holding at Elbow Valley on July 18 and a large number of power tools and machinery suspected of being stolen were seized.

During the search detectives from the Major and Organised Crime Squad (Rural) Toowoomba and Warwick Criminal Investigation Branch also located a quantity of dried cannabis and cannabis utensils.

A 29-year-old man and 22year-old woman were charged with one count each of possess dangerous drug, possession of drug utensils, stealing and receiving stolen property.

The pair is due to appear in Warwick Magistrates Court on August 14.

On May 8 this year, detectives from MOCS Rural Toowoomba and Dalby CIB located and seized a substantial quantity of building tools and machinery from a rural property located at Surat Development Rd at Tara.

“The theft of equipment which mostly included construction tools and machinery, is likely to have occurred in the earlier months of the year in the Brisbane and Gold Coast areas,” Plain Clothes Senior Constable James Doyle of the State Crime Command’s Major and Organised Crime Squad (Rural) said.

“It’s important to be vigilant when purchasing machinery and tools through online marketplaces as it’s evident these criminal networks are using rural communities to sell and trade stolen property.

“When it comes to reuniting the tools with the owners it always helps when reporting the matter to provide photographs and details of any distinctive labelling of tools and machinery to assist in the identification process.”

Anyone who believes they may have information relating to the ownership of the property should contact Policelink on 131 444 and quote reference number QP1901381005.