A caravan carrying three young children has crashed after it was allegedly stolen by a man known to their mother.
Police allege a 59-year-old man stole a 1.5 tonne caravan which was parked in the driveway of a home in the Gold Coast hinterland suburb of Tallai, about 5.30pm on Tuesday.
A 40-year-old woman and her three children aged seven, five and two were inside the van, while her pet dog was underneath it at the time.
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The woman and the accused man are known to each other, Queensland Police Service (QPS) said.
He allegedly attached the caravan his to the rear of his Nissan X-Trail station wagon using a single ratchet strap.
The woman got out of the van before it was allegedly towed onto the road, injuring the dog.
The caravan overtook the car towing it and crashed into a ditch. Credit: 7NEWS
As the vehicle moved downhill, the caravan picked up speed, overtook the X-Trail and crashed into a ditch about 80m from the driveway, police said.
The woman climbed onto the caravan and pulled her children to safety through a skylight.
All three children were uninjured but the dog sustained leg and head injuries.
A damaged vehicle at the scene. Credit: 7NEWS
The crash happened in Tallai, a suburb in the Gold Coast hinterland. Credit: Google Maps
The man was taken to hospital as a precaution and has since been charged with unlawful use and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
He is due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on November 10.
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