Hay Point man Jake Edward Turner charged with arson, burglary of $1.8m home

A man police allege stole hundreds of thousands in gold and guns from a Queensland mansion before setting it alight has made a bail bid as the terrified homeowners hire private security.

Hay Point man Jake Edward Turner will remand behind bars on remand after his bail was refused.

A Mackay region couple are terrified to return home and have been forced to hire security after police allege a thief ransacked the property and returned the following day to set it on fire, resulting in a financial loss totalling more than $500,000.

Hay Point man Jake Edward Turner will remain behind bars on remand after his bail was refused in relation to the horror incident where court documents allege he was captured on CCTV and police cameras dousing the home in petrol.

Police allege the 31 year old stole $200,000 in gold bullion, guns and ammunition, $50,000 in cash and jewellery after getting into a locked safe.

And it is understood there is still hundreds of thousands of dollars of stolen property outstanding.

Police allege the 31 year old forced his way into the $1.8m property through a rear glass door in the earlier hours on September 2 while the owner was away on holiday and “conducted an untidy search throughout the home”.

Court documents viewed by this publication state it was alleged Mr Turner took a camera, go pro, Gibson guitar and an ornate container of bone handled cutlery before drinking multiple bottles of alcohol stored in a book shelf.

Mackay region police went to a home after finding a burnt out vehicle and observed the property had been ransacked.

It is alleged during a further search he discovered two concealed gun safes and was able to open one with a key he had found inside the home.

Police allege he took two Walther pistols, $56,000 case, $200,000 of gold bullion, booklets containing gold sovereigns, gold and silver Olympic coins and high value jewellery.

It is alleged he attempted to open the second safe and was unsuccessful, but found the keys to a ute which he drove to Mia Mia Connection Rd and “has then set fire to the vehicle”.

“The fire has completely destroyed the vehicle,” the documents stated.

When police were investigating they torched car later that day they attended to the home to speak with the owner “and determined that the dwelling had been entered and ransacked”.

Jake Turner is charged with eight offences including burglary, stealing from a safe, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, arson against a vehicle and building, possessing dangerous drugs and tainted property.

“Police could see through the large glass frontage that gun safes had been entered and property had been disturbed,” the documents stated.

“Several fingerprints, a shoe impression and blood were recovered from the scene examination.”

As a result police set up a camera at the home “on the suspicion the (offender) would return”.

Court document allege at 5.39am September 3 it is alleged Mr Turner returned and “has used a pick axe to shatter a rear glass window” and entered the home before stealing a large amount of tools including a whipper snipper, chainsaw, petrol blower and an electric circular saw.

It is alleged he then used a jerry can to douse inside the home with petrol and “then lit the fire which has caused extensive damage to the inside of the dwelling”.

 

Police allege while the fire was still buring Mr Turner loaded the tools into his vehicle and left.

It is further alleged the financial loss to the owner is “estimated to be over $500,000” and they “were forced to hire private security guards to ensure the alleged offenders did not reattend their home as they had burgled the address two days in a row”.

The documents state the owner of the home had been remotely monitoring her CCTV from overseas and allegedly “witnessed (Mr Turner) setting the home on fire”.

They also state the police cameras capture Mr Turner’s face as he approached the front door holding a jerry can.

Police went to Mr Turner’s home on September 5 and found items that had been stolen from the home including the guitar, bone handled cutlery, whipper snipper, booklet of gold sovereigns, camera, go pro and assorted jewellery stashed at the property, court documents state.

Officers also found clothing alleged worn on the night that had been viewed on the police camera.

Police also found several bags of meth in Mr Turner’s wallet and $1971.65 cash.

Mr Turner is charged with eight offences including burglary, stealing from a safe, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, arson against a vehicle and building, possessing dangerous drugs and tainted property.

The matter will return to court in December.