Border jumper caught

A CLEAR message has been sent by police to anyone attempting to breach the Queensland-NSW border – do so and you will be sent home $4135 poorer.

It comes after a NSW man was refused entry to Queensland at Hebel on Saturday before he attempted to cross into the Sunshine State undetected at an unmanned crossing.

Police tracked the man down and sent him home with a large fine.

Officers are stationed at eight checkpoints, from Wallangarra to Hebel.

“Queensland has worked incredibly hard together to stop the spread of Covid-19,” Toowoomba City Patrol Inspector Paul James said.

“It is essential we all continue to play our part ensuring our community remains protected.”

POLICE have fined a man $4135 and kicked him out of Queensland after he made a cross-country dash into the state.

Darling Downs City Patrol Inspector Paul James said the man had first attempted to cross into Queensland at the Hebel vehicle checkpoint early Saturday but was turned around.

The man has then probed a second border crossing and come across the roadblock and signs clearly stating that the road was closed.

Undeterred, the man crossed through a paddock adjacent to the checkpoint.

Insp James thanked the good work of police who tracked the man down by about 2pm.

He was directed to immediately leave Queensland and was slapped with a $4135 fine for failing to comply with the chief health officer’s Direction in relation to entering Queensland.

“We will be maintaining a strong police presence on those checkpoints in line with the tightening of restrictions from last Saturday,” Insp James said.

“The aim is obviously to prevent the spread of the virus from NSW into Queensland and the intent is to reduce this risk by reducing transit across the border.”

At the weekend Darling Downs and Southwest Police checked 1160 light vehicles and 1715 heavy vehicles at the eight staffed checkpoints that run along the border from Wallangarra to Hebel.

They turned around 378 and 19 trucks for noncompliance.

While the border restrictions were a hindrance to everyday life, Insp James said they were necessary to prevent widespread and longlasting lockdowns within Queensland.

“The time we prevent the spread into Queensland is the time we have to get people vaccinated and minimise the effects of the virus,” he said.

Police have urged all Queenslanders not to travel to New South Wales, to get vaccinated and to get tested if they feel unwell.

Only essential workers with one dose of a Covd vaccine can enter Queensland.