Named and shamed: 12 Central Qld car thieves exposed
Data has shown insurance claims for stolen cars in Central Queensland has increased 72 per cent this year. Meet 12 offenders who paid for their unlawful use of a motor vehicle crimes.
Police & Courts
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Data has shown insurance claims for stolen cars in Central Queensland has increased 72 per cent in the past year.
Insurance giant RACQ has urged Queensland vehicle owners to remain vigilant after receiving 1,760 claims for stolen vehicles across the state last financial year, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year.
The data revealed Central Queensland experienced the biggest jump in car theft claims, up by 72 per cent, followed by Logan, in southeast Queensland, with a 37 per cent increase.
Chief Executive Insurance Trent Sayers said car theft remains a key issue in Queensland, affecting thousands of car owners each year.
“According to insurance claims data, one in three vehicles was stolen between 1am – 4am, and more incidents occurred on the weekend than any other day of the week,” he said.
According to the data, the Toyota HiLux, Toyota LandCruiser and Toyota Corolla were the most stolen vehicles, with older aged vehicles the target for thieves.
“Older vehicles tend to be popular with thieves as many aren’t fitted with immobilisers and they are also easy to dispose of as parts or re-identify and sell,” Mr Sayers said.
“For vehicles with modern security features, accessing the keys is the most common method of theft.
“Drivers are urged to keep their keys in a hidden location within the home, well away from entry points, so that opportunistic thieves cannot easily access them.”
According to the Queensland Police Service most car thefts are opportunistic.
Data from the QPS crime map shows in the last 12 months Gracemere, Berserker, Norman Gardens, Rockhampton City and The Range had some of the highest recorded unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences for the region.
In the last 12 months about 93 unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences were recorded from the Gracemere area, with Berserker following close behind with 62 and Norman Gardens following with 57.
On the coast 35 unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences were recorded in Yeppoon and seven were reported in Emu Park.
Read about 12 offenders who were sentenced in Central Queensland courts in the last year for unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
ALEX KENNETH SMITH, 33
Smith went to a Rockhampton service station in August 2022 where he went up to a man, threatened him with a piece of wood and then drove off in the man’s car.
He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, four counts of stealing, three counts of disqualified driving, obstructing police, possessing a knife in a public place and unlawful possession of suspected stolen property.
He was sentenced to 12 months prison with immediate parole eligibility.
ISAAK MARCUS STANLEY, 19
Stanley took a car from a West Gladstone residence while its owner was away and also took a car from another victim and while driving it, the vehicle sustained “significant damage”.
On a third occasion, Stanley tried to steal a car but failed.
Stanley pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court on October 18 to 19 charges, including two counts of unlawful use of motor vehicles, attempted unlawful use, entering premises with intent, and drug possession.
He was sentenced to nine months prison, with parole eligibility on October 18, 2023 and 28 days pre-sentence custody declared as time already served.
He was also disqualified from driving for six months.
Convictions were recorded.
ASHLEY LAWRENCE WOVAT, 34
Wovat was one of at least three offenders who used two cars stolen from Rockhampton to ram Gladstone Motorcycles on Wednesday, June 14, about 4.35am.
The vehicles used in the ram raid were reported stolen from Rockhampton the weekend before.
Wovat pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on October 13 to one count of burglary by break, one of possessing a knife in public, two of stealing, two of driving while licence suspended by the State Penalty Enforcement Registry, one breach of bail and three of unlawful use of motor vehicle.
Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale sentenced Wovat to a 2.5 years prison term, disqualified him from driving for two months, declared the time served in presentence custody since June 16 as time already served and set parole release April 16, 2024.
CLAYTON SAUNDERS, 31
Saunders stumbled across a white Ford Ranger belonging to mining company TerraCom Limited, absent a driver with the motor running, on Ruby St, Emerald, on February 12, 2023 about 11.40am.
He drove the vehicle to Rockhampton, and around the Beef Capital.
He pleaded guilty to one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, driving while SPER suspended, stealing, possessing a dangerous drug, possess a drug utensil, possessing a used syringe, contravening police direction and three counts of failing to appear in court.
He received a 12-month prison term head sentence plus 15-months probation with 39 days presentence custody declared as time already served and parole release set for November 10, 2023.
MALACHI SAMUEL CHARLES FISHER, 18
Fisher was involved in a “convoy of four stolen cars” where offenders entered carports and took scooters, a wallet and photography equipment.
He entered BWS after a stolen car, in which he was a passenger, rammed the store’s doors and stole alcohol in May.
He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to two counts of enter dwelling and commit indictable offence, along with one count each of enter dwelling and commit indictable offence by break at night in company and damage property, enter premises and commit, enter premises and commit by break, possessing drugs, possessing utensils, stealing, possessing stolen property and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Magistrate Philippa Beckinsale sentenced Fisher to 15 months prison, activated a suspended sentence to run concurrently and declared 58 days presentence custody as time served with immediate parole eligibility.
Convictions were recorded.
MICHAEL SHANE KEMP, 25
Kemp was busted driving stolen cars twice earlier this year – once in a female friend’s car he took without asking and then in a car he stole from Park Avenue where he was chased by the male owner.
He punched several times the male owner of a car he’d stolen.
He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on June 13 to one count of assault occasioning bodily harm, two of disqualified driving, one enter premises and commit indictable offence by break, 1 fraud- dishonest gain, four counts of stealing, one of wilful damage, one trespass and two unlawful uses of motor vehicles.
He was sentenced to 12 months prison with 70 days presentence custody declared as time already served and parole release set for August 4, 2023.
FRANK DWAYNE GEORGE, 19
George was part of a group that carried out burglaries and car thefts – including a vehicle belonging to Queensland Health – from Mulambin, Emu Park and Zilzie on March 1 with the stolen cars “driven in convoy on the highway”.
George pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to one count of public nuisance, four burglaries, four unlawful uses of motor vehicles, five breaches of bail, two fail to appear in court, one obstruct police and one of possessing property suspected to be tainted property.
He was sentenced to 18 months prison with 43 days presentence custody declared as time served and parole release on October 1, 2023.
Convictions were recorded.
NICHOLAS ADAM HEALY, 32
Healy gained access to Rockhampton Auto Group premises in May 2022 and took two sets of keys from a lockbox – for a $70,000 Holden Commodore as well as a $40,000 HiLux.
Police managed to seize the Commodore when Healy was not using it, but the drug addict later found it parked inside Fitzroy Towing’s Parkhurst yard.
Healy stole a front end loader to ram open the towing yard’s gates and retrieve the 2017 Commodore.
He then torched the loader to try to destroy his fingerprints, causing $150,000 of damage and destroying the cabin.
Healy pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court to arson, enter premises with intent, armed robbery, wilful damage, unlawful use of a motor vehicle used to commit an indictable offence, failing to appear in court, possessing explosives, receiving tainted property, possessing a weapon and possessing a knife in public.
He also pleaded guilty to three counts of enter a premise and committing an indictable offence and three unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
He received a five-year prison term head sentence with immediate parole eligibility, with 363 days of presentence custody declared as time already served.
NARNEISA ANNE CAITLYN ROSS, 28
Ross was sentenced in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on March 31 for more than 40 offences, which included “entering people’s homes, stealing their car or being in their stolen cars”.
She pleaded guilty to more than 40 charges, including two counts of entering a dwelling with intent by break at night and three counts of unlawful use of motor vehicles.
She was sentenced to 21 months prison, with parole release on June 28, 2023 and 93 days of pre-sentence custody declared as time already served.
She was also disqualified from driving for one month.
WILLIAM NOEL ARMSTRONG, 21
Armstrong, Larcome Brown and Joshua Brown went to the home of a man and stole a mobile phone and keys to a Toyota HiLux on April 24, 2022.
Armstrong was the driver, Joshua Brown was sitting in the front passenger seat and Larcome Brown was in the back seat.
The HiLux was seen driving north on the Bruce Highway towards Mackay at speed.
The ute was “swerving aggressively” side to side before launching up an embankment to the left and flying about 20ft in the air before landing across the highway.
Joshua Brown was taken to Rockhampton Hospital in a critical condition by helicopter, and was declared brain dead on April 26 and died on April 27.
Armstrong and Larcome Brown pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on April 26 to armed robbery with violence and wilful damage.
Armstrong also pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, break and enter, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and stealing.
For the armed robbery charge Armstrong was sentenced to three years imprisonment and received two years for the dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death charge, which were ordered to be served cumulatively on each other and cumulative on the sentence he was currently serving for other matters.
In total, the jail term was nine years and he was eligible for parole on June 27, 2023.
Armstrong was also disqualified from holding a driver’s licence absolutely.
Brown was sentenced to four years imprisonment, with parole eligibility on August 7, 2023 and 263 days of presentence custody declared as time served.
GUY JAMES WELDON, 28
Weldon participated in a violent carjacking where the co-offender held a 10cm bladed knife to a woman’s throat and “she was told to do what the party said or she would get stabbed”.
Weldon had met the woman in a pokie room and had stolen the car off her and later told her to change her police statement because he didn’t want to do five years in prison.
Weldon later called her, while she was at the police station, again demanding she change her statement and give him $600 or he would sell the car for $600 or burn it or blow it up.
He pleaded guilty in Rockhampton District Court on March 10 to one count each of extortion, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing and obstruct police.
Judge Jeff Clarke sentenced him to 18 months prison, cumulative on a sentence handed down in Rockhampton Magistrates Court in December, with parole eligibility set for April 12, 2023.
ALWYN ELTOSN BLAIR, 19
Blair was sentenced in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on December 16, 2022 for more than 50 offences, which included stealing cars and driving stolen cars dangerously.
Blair pleaded guilty to 52 offences which included a number of burglary, break and enter and unlawful use of a motor vehicle charges.
He was sentenced to 2.5 years prison with parole eligibility on March 23, 2023.
He was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 2.5 years.
Convictions were recorded.
TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR CAR SECURE
Park your vehicle in well-lit and highly visible areas whenever possible.
Wherever possible, use off street parking or secured parking.
When parking in a garage, ensure both the garage and vehicle are locked and the garage door remotes are secured.
Avoid marking your keys with your personal or vehicle details such as name, phone number or vehicle registration.
Consider installing a car alarm or steering wheel lock to help protect your vehicle.
Use lockable devices to help keep your vehicle secure including lockable fuel caps, wheel nuts, spare tyre covers and roof racks.
Consider installing a remote engine immobiliser which meets Australian standards.
Secure your registration plates with antitheft screws.
Consider installing a GPS tracker to your vehicle.
Make good vehicle and key security a habit today.
Always lock your vehicle, including the boot and sunroof, and remember to fully close all windows.
Always keep your keys out of sight and never leave vehicle keys lying around on tables, benches, bedside tables or key hooks.
Remove keys from the ignition and lock your vehicle if your vehicle is parked or unattended, even if it’s only for a minute.
Never hide spare keys on or in the vehicle – thieves know where to look.
Remove all valuables and personal items when leaving your car unattended, or ensure they are of out of sight.
Always take your vehicle keys with you whenever you are going out, even if you are leaving your vehicle at home.
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