Luke Darby Cranston charged with stealing rural fire truck at Sarina

A young man who is accused of stealing vital equipment from regional rural firefighters during bushfire season allegedly planned to commit the crime, a Mackay court has heard.

A rural fire A 22-year-old Ilbilbie man has been charged with two counts each of break and enter premises, stealing of vehicle, unlawful use of motor vehicle, wilful damage and driving whilst licence suspended. He has also been charged with one count each of evade police, possession of tainted property and possession of explosive (ammunition).truck at Sarina Beach.

A man who is accused of stealing vital equipment from rural firefighters during bushfire season allegedly planned to commit the crime, a court has heard.

Luke Darby Cranston was on Monday denied his bail bid and now must sit in custody on remand.

He is charged with 15 offences including the break and enter and theft of an Isuzu NPS 3007 fire truck and Nissan Patrol rural fire vehicle.

It is alleged the 22 year old, from Ilbilbie, broke into the Sarina Marlborough Rural Fire Brigade on Tara Creek Rd on October 31 and the Victoria Plains Rural Fire Brigade on Victoria Plains Rd on November 4.

Police raided a Sarina home on November 5 where officers seized emergency lights allegedly from the Isuzu truck hidden at the Keilbach Ct property.

Officers later went to an unoccupied property on Marlborough Sarina Rd at Sarina Range, south of Mackay, where it is alleged they found the stolen truck covered by a tarpaulin.

A 22-year-old Ilbilbie man has been charged with two counts each of break and enter premises, stealing of vehicle, unlawful use of motor vehicle, wilful damage and driving while licence suspended. He has also been charged with one count each of evade police, possession of tainted property and possession of explosive (ammunition).

Police allege the dashboard and parts of the truck were extensively damage and the body of the vehicle was painted with white house paint.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard Mr Cranston was also charged with breaching bail and it was alleged he did not think that being on bail “was a big thing”, that he had heard of other people not abiding by curfew conditions and not getting in trouble.

The court heard it was accepted the charges were serious and that Mr Cranston had been placed on bail in October for drug-related offending.

Legal Aid Queensland solicitor Geoff Govey said his client was at risk of spending too much time in custody before the matter was resolved, and he was innocent until he was proved guilty.

Magistrate Damien Dwyer said the allegations suggested “that you put the community at a grave risk … you took some vital machinery … particularly at this time of year”.

Mr Dwyer said bail was a big deal and Mr Cranston had already allegedly indicated his attitude towards it.

“Your offending is escalating … the allegations suggest there’s been some sort of plan,” Mr Dwyer said.

“You went to some place, in the court the allegations say you were armed with the appropriate instruments you needed.”

Bail was rejected and matters were adjourned to early December.