Nine teenagers have been charged in relation to a string of alleged car thefts in north Queensland that saw three officers taken to hospital and a police car allegedly stolen from the side of a highway.
Queensland Police responded to reports of several allegedly stolen vehicles being driven around Townsville about midday on Monday.
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Police allege two offenders gained access to an unmarked police vehicle, while others fled on foot, after officers deployed a tyre deflation device to stop two other cars the teenagers had allegedly stolen.
Three police officers were transported to Townsville University Hospital with minor injuries from the incident, but have since been released.
Seven children and two adults — an 18-year-old Garbutt man and an 18-year-old Kirwan woman — have been charged with offences related to the theft of five vehicles, as well as obstructing and assaulting officers.
A 15-year-old Vincent boy and a 16-year-old Rasmussen boy, arrested on Tuesday in relation to the incident, were refused bail and will face the Townsville Magistrates Court for the first time tomorrow.
The other seven alleged adult and child offenders have been refused bail and will next appear in court in May.
Townsville father counting the costs
Townsville man Daniel Toppi is counting the cost of lost income after his work vehicle was allegedly stolen by the group.
He said his family, based in Elliot Springs, had forgotten to check that the rear entry of their home was locked.
“We woke to the sound of keys dropping … found some kids running out of the house,” he recounted.
The group stole a 2020 Ford Ranger, which was central to a new career pathway for the father of two, who is navigating life with a disability.
Daniel Toppi is counting the costs after his business vehicle was stolen. (ABC News: Chloe Chomicki)
“I had a [motorbike] accident last year, I lost the use of my arm, with that I lost my job and my sense of identity,” Mr Toppi said.
“I started to rebuild that through mobile [car] detailing … I found [the] Ford Ranger and set it up in a position where I could run a business out of the back of it.
“That car was taken from me, and it was at bad time where I had just found my feet.”
It will be weeks before Mr Toppi regains his vehicle and all the mounted equipment inside.
He expected the cost of his lost bookings and paying his insurance excess would reach $3,000.
State government says more work to be done on crime
Townsville residents have long complained of disproportionate car thefts and youth crime in the city.
“Adult time, adult crime” was a key election campaign policy for the LNP. (ABC News: Cameron Simmons)
The LNP capitalised on the city’s crime frustrations at the last state election in 2024, flipping three Labor-held seats after a “tough on crime” campaign.
A report from the Queensland government statistician’s office shows that while there was a slight rise in offences committed throughout the state in the 2024-25 financial year, the rate of offences committed in Queensland fell by 1.2 per cent when accounting for population growth.
Queensland Attorney-General and Acting Police Minister Deb Frecklington said there was always more work to be done on crime.
Deb Frecklington says there is more work to be done on crime. (AAP: Darren England)
“We are giving police and the courts stronger laws,” Ms Frecklington said.
The LNP Crisafulli government has introduced tougher maximum penalties for young offenders under its “Adult Crime Adult Time” policy.
The government has legislation before the state parliament to expand the adult crime, adult time framework to include an extra 12 offences, despite limited use of the charges over the past decade.