BALCONY HOP BUST EXCLUSIVE

Cops net bold ‘Spider-Man’ after 38 high-rise break-ins

POLICE have netted an alleged balcony-hopping thief after a spree of high-rise apartment break-ins.

A 32-year-old, dubbed ‘Spider-Man’, has been arrested and faces more than 50 charges related to 38 apartment entries in Burleigh, Surfers Paradise and the Sunshine Coast.

Detective Acting Sergeant Matt Damro revealed to the Bulletin: “He has been sighted going over a balcony 20 or so floors up. “He was disturbed in one of the apartments and said to the person ‘sorry’ and jumped over the balcony – and that was about 23 or 24 storeys.”

The alleged culprit is due in Southport court this week.

A MAN dubbed the SpiderMan has been netted after an alleged crime spree, scaling dozens of high-rise buildings and breaking into units across the Gold Coast.

The death-defying thief was allegedly climbing the outside of high-rise apartment buildings, before going through unlocked doors on balconies and stealing cash and credit cards.

During one break and enter, a witness who spooked him said the thief leapt off the 24th floor of a high-rise after he was allegedly caught snooping around inside the apartment.

A 32-year-old was arrested late on Saturday afternoon at a home in Miami after a tip-off.

He is likely to face more than 50 charges, with detectives investigating upwards of 38 break-ins across Burleigh, Surfers Paradise and the Sunshine Coast.

Detective Acting Sergeant Matt Damro from Taskforce LATRO, the police property crime squad, said they mistakenly believed the thief had a master key but found out he had allegedly been breaking into the units by scaling the buildings.

“We initially thought he must have had a master key and was getting into the internal staircase because he was coming out via reception and we had him on CCTV,” Sgt Damro alleged.

“He has been sighted going over a balcony 20 or so floors up. When people would wake up and realise someone had been through their unit, they’d find property on the balcony too, so he’d leave stuff behind.

“He was only taking stuff he could carry, cards, cash. He wasn’t taking televisions and things like that, just stuff he could easily carry,” he alleged.

Sgt Damro said it became apparent he was climbing up the high-rises when a victim saw the alleged Spider-Man thief jump off her balcony.

“He was disturbed in one of the apartments, about 2am and he said to the person ‘sorry’ and ran and jumped over the balcony and that was about 23 or 24 storeys up. They actually saw him go over.

“Whether he’s just grabbing on to the railing and dropping on to the next one and grabbing it we’re not sure. If you missed it, you’re in trouble.”

Police will allege he began his spree on May 29, breaking into buildings between Surfers and Burleigh, as well as the Sunshine Coast.

“Around the Burleigh area we are looking at around 15 to 20 charges, Surfers Paradise alone have about 21 occurrences and then the Sunshine Coast there’s about 10 occurrences there,” he said.

“He was also wanted on a return to prison warrant.”

He is due to front Southport Magistrates Court this week.