Good deed leads to theft
TWO Harristown residents say they were left bloodied and bruised after a good deed led to the theft of their car.
Emma Walker and her partner Ken Noume were preparing for bed last month when they heard a knock on the door.
“I thought it was the neighbour, but when I opened the door, there was a man outside who said he had a broken foot,” Mr Noume said.
“I let him in after saying no, just to be nice, and he asked me to call him a cab.”
Ms Walker, seven months pregnant at the time, said her partner had woken her.
“We thought he was in danger, but then his story didn’t add up,” Ms Walker said.
“Next thing I hear was Kenny screaming ‘get out of the car’ - and the car starting.”
Ms Walker said she believed the man had gone through her bag when their backs were turned, finding the keys to their 2001 Holden Commodore.
“I opened the screen door (to the carport) and he reversed into it,” Ms Walker said, adding that she hurt her knee.
Mr Noume chased after him.
“When I was in front, I jumped on the bonnet and held on for the whole street,” he said.
“He was speeding at like 40kph and when he stopped, I fell off.”
The couple said the man then made his getaway, leaving Mr Noume “covered in blood” with a head injury and gravel burns from the fall.
“The police came within five minutes or less,” Ms Walker said.
“It was very stressful and traumatic; Ken tosses and turns every night now.
“It’s unexpected when you’re trying to help.”
Mr Noume was treated for his injuries at the Toowoomba Hospital.
The couple said police located the uninsured car days later near Chinchilla, where it had been abandoned with extensive damage.
Now the couple is hoping to get back on their feet before the birth of their baby and has started a GoFundMe page.
“We are hoping to use the funds to either fix the car or buy a cheap one for the time being,” Ms Walker said.
“We’ve had trouble getting to doctor’s appointments,” Mr Noume said.
Toowoomba police apprehended a man and charged him with unlawful use of motor vehicle, unlawful possession of suspected stolen property and burglary.
He has been remanded in custody and will reappear in Toowoomba Magistrates Court next month.