Charges on unit spree

Teenage gang arrested over spate of car break-ins

A TEENAGE gang, which included twin brothers, have been charged with more than 50 offences over an alleged crime spree largely centred around a Woree unit complex.

The 18-year-old twin males, a 20-year-old man and three boys, aged 13, 14 and 16, allegedly targeted both locked and unlocked vehicles at the City Waters complex on Rigg St.

Police say they operated as a group, allegedly using implements like screwdrivers to access the vehicles.

They said cash and other valuables were taken.

A police spokesman said 16 cars at the complex were targeted.

The group is also alleged to have hit a second unit complex at Mooroobool in the past three days. Five of them were were taken into custody when officers from the Property Crime Squad raided a Sondrio St residence, also at Woree, on Thursday morning.

One of the men, Andrew Kryzkalski, 18, appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court yesterday morning on eight property-related charges.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services solicitor Steve Carter indicated pleas of guilty to the charges.

He applied for bail on Kryzkalski’s behalf but it was denied.

He was remanded in custody and the case is due to be back before court on October 19.

His twin brother and the other man are both due to appear in court for the first time on October 10.

The three youths will be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act 1992.

In the meantime, the Property Crime Squad has also charged a Manunda man as part of an investigation into a vehicle stolen from a residence on September 11.

It is alleged that after steal- ing the vehicle the man subsequently stole fuel from a Manoora service station and a carton of beer from a Manoora bottle shop later that night.

He was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle and two counts of stealing.

He is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on October 3.

Investigations are ongoing.