Teenagers on the rise as QLD’s full list of car thieves revealed
From teens causing often heartbreaking carnage to drugged up drivers who still haven’t learned by their 20s, here’s a list of the state’s young car thieves and stolen car rates for every region.
Sunshine Coast
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New data on reported car thefts across Queensland in the last 12 months has been revealed with young people behind the wheel more than any other demographic.
It comes after 59-year-old Hemmant man Michael Warburton was killed in an alleged hit and run in Wynnum West on September 26, after his vespa scooter collided with a Nissan X-Trail allegedly stolen by teens from a Wynnum home earlier that day.
In the Wide Bay Burnett region, where there are fears Hervey Bay’s 81 per cent crime spike is turning the city into the ‘next Townsville’, reported unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences have reached the highest point for the third time in 12 months with 67 offences in April, June and August of 2022.
A man was also carjacked with a machete in Point Vernon.
Police also launched an investigation into a number of vehicles being stolen in the Gympie region in May, 2022.
In Bundaberg, residents of a quiet neighbourhood reportedly heard screeches and a loud “bang” after a stolen council work car rolled in a nearby park and the alleged thief fled the scene.
Meanwhile, in Warwick, police were investigating a spate of break-ins in the region’s west in August, after an earlier stolen car was dumped at a Harvey Norman car park and another car was stolen from an Elizabeth St home in July.
Bob Davis, who runs Operation Hard Yakka, an army style boot camp for wayward teens at Susan River between Maryborough and Hervey Bay, also knows the pain of losing a loved one in a car accident that isn’t their fault after his son was killed in a head-on collision in Miriam Vale in 2017.
He said the key to prevention was early intervention – while offenders and at-risk youths were still in their teens rather than their late 20s and beyond.
“I say, ‘your parents do not want to get a phone call from the police saying you’ve been killed, or you’re in a coma, or you’re going to be crippled for life, or you’ve killed someone else’...I have felt that, I know what it’s like to get that phone call,” he said.
While he said said there was no one reason why teens went off the rails in the first place, there was a common theme linking those who came to his camp.
“It could be … they could come from a low socio-economic background where they don’t have anything so they want to go out and get it, it could be because they’re jealous of an older sibling … it could be because they get into the wrong crowd,” he said.
“(However), they all believe they can do what they want, when they want.”
The aim of Operation Hard Yakka is to educate troubled teens about the consequences of their actions, rather than handing a punishment like a court-issued fine.
In the Brisbane region, reported unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences reached a significant peak in January 2022 with 477 offences but these numbers have steadily decreased.
On the Sunshine Coast, unlawful use of a motor vehicle charges peaked at 66 offences in May, 2022 but decreased to 55 in June and remained steady.
Central Queensland, which includes the Capricornia and Mackay regions, recorded a peak number of unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences in March 2022 with 140 reported offences, but numbers have since steadily declined.
Far North Queensland reached a peak of 223 offences in March 2022 while in the Gold Coast and Logan districts, a peak 386 offences were recorded in October 2021.
Numbers in both regions have also since declined.
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Convicted young car thieves across regional Queensland
Gold Coast
Briana Ioannides - Lawyer on wrong side of bar table
Former Gold Coast criminal lawyer Briana Ioannides found herself on the wrong side of the bar table after she was caught with the keys to a stolen car full of her belongings.
Ioannides, 29, pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court to unlawful use of a motor vehicle, receiving tainted property and breaching a bail condition.
The court heard she was caught with the keys to a stolen Ford Focus, which was full of her belongings.
The car had a stolen number plate fixed to its rear, it heard.
Defence lawyer Chris Hannay said his client should have known better.
He said Ioannides had a job as an account manager with construction firm Ideal Group.
She was fined $750 and the eight days she spent in custody was declared as time already served.
A conviction was recorded.
Maddison Brown - Car thief nearly crashes into cop car
A Holland Park man who sped off from police in a stolen car, narrowly missing the police car, was sentenced to jail.
Maddison Barry Brown pleaded guilty to five charges in Southport Magistrates Court including possession of dangerous drugs, evasion and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The court heard Brown was spotted in August 2021 driving a car stolen from a Molendinar residence in July 2021, but he sped off when police activated their lights and sirens.
He narrowly avoided hitting the police car, the court heard, and was last seen speeding south towards Broadbeach.
He was disqualified from driving at the time.
He was sentenced to 12 months behind bars, with a parole eligibility date of January 28, 2023.
He was disqualified from driving for two years.
Convictions were recorded.
Sunshine Coast
Alex Stevens - Stolen car used in $30k shopping centre ram raid
Alex Graeme Stevens, 21, stole three cars in May 2022, one of which was used in a ram raid at a Sunshine Coast shopping centre.
Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard Stevens first stole a Nissan Van belonging to a 76-year-old Mountain Creek man.
The elderly man had attempted to remove Steven’s from the car, the court heard, but Stevens quickly reversed and sped through the victim’s closed front gate causing damage to the vehicle, brickwork and gate.
Court documents revealed Stevens then stole a blue Subaru Forester from a Nambour home the next night. The owner woke at 5am to the sound of his car being started, but it was too late.
Court documents revealed Stevens used this car to ram the front of the Curtain Wonderland store at the Sunshine Coast Homemaker Centre on May 18, 2022, causing major damage in excess of $30,000.
On May 9, a Woombye resident woke to the sound of Stevens stealing their Ford Ranger ute.
The Ranger was later seen bogged at Forest Glenn, where Stevens was filmed trying to get it out of the mud before deciding to commandeer another vehicle.
He then stole an Isuzu D-Max from a 32-year-old woman.
Defence solicitor Luke Bull said his client could end up spending the whole of his prison term in actual custody as he didn’t have a stable address to be bailed to.
Mr Bull said Stevens had completed up to Year 9 at high school but had a troubled upbringing where he experienced homelessness.
Stevens was given three years’ prison with a parole eligibility date of August 19, 2023, and disqualified from driving for four years.
Convictions were recorded.
Gympie
Simon Geoffrey Jeremy - Repeat crim steals same car twice
Maryborough man Simon Geoffrey Jeremy, 28, was convicted of stealing the same car twice.
Gympie District Court heard Jeremy was caught with a Toyota Landcruiser on August 6, 2021, after it was stolen from a Private Forestry Service Queensland site one year earlier.
But, as he was pleading guilty to possessing the stolen car, it was swiped a second time.
Police later found messages between Jeremy and another man discussing hiding the Landcruiser at Glenwood.
Jeremy plead guilty to a raft of offences, including burglary, stealing, entering a premises, attempting to pervert the course of justice, driving without a licence, two counts of receiving tainted property, possessing dangerous drugs, possessing an item or utensil used in connection with drugs, and possessing explosives (. 22 calibre ammunition) requiring an authority.
He was convicted and released on parole September 16 after spending 277 days in custody.
A conviction was recorded.
Joe Daniel Johnson - Crash in stolen car causes $47k damage to Tesla
Joe Daniel Johnson, 26, was jailed until March 2023 after he escaped custody and stole a car before he crashed it into an expensive Tesla car on the Bruce Highway.
Gympie Magistrates Court heard Johnson stole a car between January 22 and April 23, 2022, and later stole a Toyota Hilux in Araluen on April 22 after he escaped police custody.
But Johnson’s freedom was short lived, after he caused a major collision with a Tesla turning into Purcells Rd from the Bruce Hwy at Bells Bridge.
The driver of the other car was injured along with two others, but Johnson fled the scene.
Suncorp Insurance provided a quote of $47,000 for the Tesla car in the court documents, which included the cost of collection and damages.
Lawyer Chris Anderson told the court he had dealt with his client for 10 years now and Johnson was “tired of running” and “getting too old for this”.
Mr Anderson said Johnson panics when he sees flashing police lights, which led him to the “extremely poor” decision of running away from police.
Johnson was sentenced to two years jail, to be released after eight months on March 24, 2023. His 65 days in pre-sentence custody were declared as time served.
A conviction was recorded.
Jason David Canavan
Tandur man Jason David Canavan, 25, fronted court after he stole a rental car from an Ipswich home in May 2019.
Gympie Magistrates Court heard the hirer was away at the time, but a friend had noticed the car missing and called the police.
Then on May 16, Sunshine Coast police had seen one of Canavan’s associates driving the stolen car at Alexandra Headland.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan told Canavan his offence had occurred on the same day he was taken into custody for an earlier unlawful use offence, on April 20.
He had been convicted of that offence on June 17 and sentenced to nine months jail and was given parole.
He had also been dealt with for unlawfully using other vehicles on January 17 and between May 2 and 16.
Mr Callaghan sentenced him to seven months jail, suspended for 20 months.
Travis Terrence Carsburg
A 29-year-old man threatened to bash and shoot his victims during a 2019 crime spree where he stole three cars at gunpoint.
Travis Terrence Carsburg threatened his first victim with a rifle on April 26, 2022, and ordered him to go back inside his house. The victim heard his car leave a short time later.
The car was later found badly damaged in bushland, with Carsburg’s ID and stolen number plates inside.
Then, on May 5, Carsburg threatened to bash and shoot his second victim after he refused to let him borrow his car, which the victim had hired out.
This car was later found crashed on Kin Kin Rd near Carsburg’s mother’s house.
Carsburg entered another property near his mother‘s house and stole yet another car, driving it into a shed across the road, before being arrested at his mother’s house.
Carsburg pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery, two counts of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence, three counts of unlawfully using a motor vehicle and causing damage and one count of stealing on top of 17 summary offences, some of which were committed over the nine days.
He was sentenced to seven years‘ jail and was eligible for parole on November 21, 2020, with 361 days served in pre-sentence custody.
A conviction was recorded.
Fraser Coast
Kaitlynn Maree Flohr and Jacob Riley Rata Brighthouse - Story behind wild waterpark carjacking, highway chase
A man and woman who stole a car at gunpoint at a Pialba water park and led police on a dramatic chase on the Bruce Hwy were both sentenced to jail.
Kaitlynn Maree Flohr, 25, and Jacob Riley Rata Brighthouse, 29, were involved in a dramatic daylight carjacking and police chase in November 2019.
Brighthouse and Flohr appeared in separate matters over the crimes.
Hervey Bay District Court heard for Flohr’s appearance she and Brighthouse drove from Mackay to Hervey Bay in a stolen vehicle in November.
But when the car began experiencing mechanical problems, the pair targeted a woman near WetSide Water Park in Pialba.
Mackay District Court heard for Brighthouse’s appearance he approached a 20-year-old woman brandishing a shortened shotgun.
Flohr and Brighthouse then took off in the stolen car, with Brighthouse behind the wheel and driving dangerously from Hervey Bay to the Sunshine Coast.
Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke told Mackay District Court Brighthouse was speeding along the Bruce Hwy at the Glass House Mountains at 175km/h.
“He dangerously overtook other drivers, drove off the side of the road and performed two handbrake turns and when he did the last of those, in effect, his driving ended because he collided with another car and rolled his onto his roof,” she said.
Brighthouse’s defence barrister Scott McLennan told Mackay District Court his client was a heavy meth user in the weeks leading up to the offending, and was experiencing withdrawal symptoms at the time.
Brighthouse pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, receiving tainted property, evade police. He has further been charged with one count of robbery while armed and in company, common assault, dangerous driving, possessing a shortened firearm, possessing ammunition and stealing.
He had his licence suspended for six months and received a parole release date of August 15, 2020.
Flohr pleaded guilty to four charges for her role in the incident; two counts of unlawful use of a vehicle to commit an indictable offence, armed robbery and assault.
She was sentenced to three years behind bars with a parole release date of August 15, 2020.
A conviction was recorded for both.
FULL STORY – KAITLYN MAREE FLOHR
FULL STORY – JACOB RILEY RATA BRIGHTHOUSE
Bundaberg
Bailey Clout - Dogwash van stolen with owner, pooch still inside
Bundaberg man Bailey Clout was brought back before the courts less than two months after he was released from custody, after he stole a mobile dog wash with its owner and a dog inside.
Bundaberg District Court heard during a breach of suspended sentence matter Clout had stolen a car which was towing a trailer for washing dogs, but the owners of the business were washing a dog inside when he stole the vehicle.
The dog jumped from the trailer and the owners had to call police throughout the frightening ordeal.
Clout later crashed the vehicle, the court heard.
It came after Clout broke into a home, stole a set of keys and took off in a stolen vehicle without a licence in November 2021.
Clout pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count of dangerous operation for stealing the mobile dog wash, and charges of burglary, committing an indictable offence, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and receiving tainted property for stealing the keys and car in November.
He was fined $500 for stealing the dog wash on the basis he was not aware the trailer had been occupied at the time, and sentenced to nine months jail with immediate parole for stealing the keys and car.
Robert Noel Fisher - Family ‘shattered’ after beloved businessman killed by drunk driver
A drunk driver, who killed 63-year-old Sunshine Coast man David Mallett on a Bundaberg Rd, was told by a grieving widow his actions had caused her a “lifetime of grief, heartache and emptiness”.
Robert Noel Fisher, 29, pleaded guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance, burglary and unlawful use of a vehicle.
The court heard Fisher, who was on bail at the time of the offence on July 20, 2020, had been drinking before having an argument with a family member, heading into a man’s home and stealing a set of car keys.
He then went on an 8.5km course of “deliberate, dangerous driving”, where he killed Mr Mallett, who was on the phone to his wife when he was struck.
A man, who was driving to the gym that same night, saw Fisher driving in Bundaberg and was so concerned he called police and followed, the court heard.
Fisher was not driving with his headlights on.
At one stage, he did a ‘doughnut’, was driving at speed and making dangerous manoeuvres including reversing into oncoming traffic and speeding through a roundabout.
It all ended when he took off at speed from a traffic light and lost control near Red Rooster on the corner of Bourbong and Bingera Streets.
A blood sample which was taken from Fisher returned a blood alcohol reading equivalent of 0.205.
Fisher’s barrister Callan Cassidy told the court his client was “deeply remorseful” for his actions and had written a letter of apology while in jail.
Mr Cassidy said Fisher was “shattered” by what happened to Mr Mallett and would have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life.
Fisher received a head sentence of 10 years imprisonment and will be required to serve 80 per cent before being eligible for parole.
He was also disqualified absolutely from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence.
455 days of presentence custody was declared as time already served.
A conviction was recorded.
Rockhampton
Ian Duane Armstrong- Pinched hire car used in series of crimes
An 18-year-old man stole a hire car from a Rockhampton camping site in July 2022, which was later crashed and he fled the scene with three co-offenders.
Ian Duane Armstrong pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to one count of attempting to enter a dwelling with an intent to commit an indictable offence, two of entering a dwelling and stealing and one of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The court heard Armstrong broke into a cabin at the Discovery Park Caravan Park through an unlocked glass sliding door sometime between 12.30am and 5.45am on July 31, stealing a wallet and keys to a 2021 Kia Sportage hire car, which he drove off in.
This was involved in many fuel drive-offs over the next three days, the court heard, but the crime spree came to an end when police were called to a hit and run at about 5.30pm on August 5 in High St, North Rockhampton.
The stolen Kia Sportage was found at the crash site, and CCTV captured Armstrong and three co-offenders feeling the scene.
Defence lawyer Rebecca Winning said her client had a traumatic childhood and conceded “yandi” (marijuana) was a problem for him.
“He concedes he has fallen in with the wrong crowd,” she said.
“He has told me he wants to be linked into some counselling to turn his life around.”
Armstrong was placed on an 18-month probation order and ordered to re-appear in court on August 22 regarding restitution orders.
A conviction was recorded.
Aaron Paul Harrison Gulf and Mullacoo Geraldine Josephine Lottie Ross-Freeman - Drugged up pair sentenced over roles in car thefts
A 23-year-old man who stole four cars in a fortnight was jailed over the spate of crimes, after his 25-year-old co-accused in one of the crimes posted a photo of the offence to social media.
Aaron Paul Harrison Gulf, 23, pleaded guilty on March 28 in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to four counts of unlawful use of motor vehicles and one count of possessing a dangerous drug.
Mullacoo Geraldine Josephine Lottie Ross-Freeman, 25, pleaded guilty on the same day to one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, two of possessing a dangerous drug, one of possessing items suspected to be tainted property, one of failing to appear in court and one of dishonestly gaining cash.
The court heard Gulf stole stole four cars between February 15 and March 1, 2022, while Ross-Freeman was seen running from a stolen car on March 2.
Police later found photos on her phone of her and co-offenders with the stolen car.
Gulf’s defence lawyer Brendan Gimbert said his client went through Sorry Business after his release from prison and didn’t cope well with grief, having not much support, so he returned to using methamphetamines and marijuana.
He said after Gulf left school, he fell in with the wrong crowd but had worked in stainless steel manufacturing and hoped to find work in Brisbane.
Ross-Freeman’s defence lawyer Ken Spinaze said his client’s brother died by suicide when he was 11-13 years old and she was nine or 10 and she suffered depression as a result.
He said she started using marijuana in her teenage years and started using meth after being incarcerated earlier.
Gulf was sentenced to a nine-month prison term, declared 26 days presentence custody with immediate parole eligibility.
Ross-Freeman was sentenced to a four-month head sentence, declared 26 days presentence custody and set parole release for April 11, 2022.
A conviction was recorded for both.
Mackay
17-year-old car thief - Teen suffers burns after Mackay to Sarina spree
A serial teen criminal suffered burns to 12 per cent of his body after he set fire to a car he stole in April 2021.
Mackay Children’s Court heard the teen, who cannot be named under Queensland law, pleaded guilty to a string of offences including arson, armed robbery, assault causing bodily harm, burglary and car theft.
The court heard the teen went on a crime spree on April 28 and 29, 2021 in Mackay and Sarina.
He stole multiple cars including a red Holden Colorado, which was later found torched at the Hume St and Cemetery Rd intersection about 11am on August 29 as well as clothing belonging to the teen.
Barrister Scott McLennan said his client had needed two skin grafts and until a few weeks prior had to wear compression garments on the burned areas.
“He’s going to have to be very cautious about direct exposure to sunlight to the areas which were burned for the rest of his life,” Mr McLennan said.
“There’s been some significant extra curial punishment here as a result of the burns.”
The teen was given a 15-month detention order with supervised release at the 50 per cent mark on May 14, 2022. The order will finish on December 2, 2022.
Central Queensland
Gladstone teen car thieves sentenced - ‘Stealing easier than earning money’.
Two teenagers were sentenced over stealing and later torching a Hyundai i30 were both given probation, despite one of the teens opting for time in custody instead.
Gladstone District Court heard during the 17-year-old’s court appearance in July 2020, he stole the Hyundai i30 from a West Gladstone street with his co-offender on August 15, 2019.
The pair drove it to the Gladstone soccer fields where they carried out manoeuvres and set the car on fire.
Crown prosecutor Samantha O’Rourke said when police caught the 17-year-old, his eyebrows had been singed, and his eyelashes were missing.
During the 16-year-old’s appearance, Ms O’Rourke said the older boy had set the car alight and the 16-year-old was simply party to the crime.
The 17-year-old did not show remorse over the incident, she said, after he told the report writer “it was fun...stealing was easier than earning money” and said he had done the victim a favour as she could now buy a new car.
Defence barrister Maree Willey said her client’s parents separated when he was young and he had no relationship with his father.
She said he had grown up without a male role model after his parents separated and he had no contact with his father.
He was kicked out of his mother’s house when he was charged, the court heard.
Defence Barrister for the 16-year-old Scott Moon said his client had an intellectual impairment and while he had insight and remorse for his actions he tended to “act first and have remorse afterwards”.
The 17-year-old was given 18 months probation, while the 16-year-old was given 16 months probation.
Braithen Anthony Yoren - Serial car thief posts pictures of crimes online
An 18-year-old convicted car thief uploaded evidence of his crimes to social media, a Central Queensland court heard.
Braithen Anthony Yoren pleaded guilty on December 13 in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to 13 charges including four counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, attempted burglary, burglary, receiving tainted property, stealing fuel and obstruct police.
The court heard Yoren stole a Holden Colorado from the Baralaba mine site and drove it to Duaringa; where he did a fuel drive off and left the car near a football field in Baralaba-Woorabinda Road, Woorabinda.
Later, an unknown offender stole a BMW X5 from a garage at Moura between August 13 and 15.
It was driven to Rockhampton and around Woorabinda, and Yoren’s fingerprints were found inside.
Weeks later, Yoren was spotted driving a stolen silver 2014 Suzuki sedan in an erratic manner.
Police prosecutor Brandy Butler said a video uploaded to social media showed Yoren driving another stolen vehicle – a Toyota Land Cruiser – and also as a passenger.
Yoren later posed for a photo shoot in front of a stolen 2010 Ford Falcon, in front of the bonnet and next to the passenger door.
Defence lawyer Brendan Gimbert said his client turned 18 in July and had been working for the Woorabinda Pastural Company until he carried out this offending.
He said the former Glenmore High School student had smoked marijuana every day for two years.
The court heard Yoren’s partner and mother of his three-month old child worked at the Moranbah mines as a cleaner and was a stabilising element in his life.
Yoren was sentenced to 12 months prison, declared 100 days presentence custody as time served with immediate release on parole and 12 months probation.
He was also ordered to pay $74.09 restitution for the fuel.
A conviction was recorded.
CONVICTIONS NOT RECORDED
Alyssa Maree Stockton - City teen told she’s ‘not welcome’ in Mackay
An 18-year-old convicted car thief was told by a magistrate she was “not welcome” in Mackay, after she was convicted of 14 offences, including stealing two cars between June and August in 2021.
Alyssa Maree Stockton pleaded guilty in Mackay Magistrates Court to the spate of offending in September 2021.
While details of Stockton’s offending were not shared in the courtroom, the court heard Stockton would be released from the Mackay watch-house and into her solicitor’s custody after she was sentenced.
From there, she would be put on a flight to Brisbane, where she would attend rehab.
Magistrate James Morton said he accepted Stockton’s offending was linked to drug use and said by law he had to take into account her young age and rehabilitative prospects.
As such he placed her on 18-months probation, but would only release her into her solicitors custody on the proviso she was placed straight on the plane to Brisbane.
“She’s not welcome in the city of Mackay,” Mr Morton said.
Stockton must comply with monthly drug testing as part of her probation. She was also disqualified from driving for four years.
A conviction was not recorded.
Lochlann Mervyn-James Lynch - ‘Lose your life, I’ve got a knife’.
Logan man Lochlann Mervyn-James Lynch, 20, was sentenced over an early morning group carjacking.
Maroochydore District Court heard in June 2022, a then-18-year-old Lynch was a part of a group of four teens involved in the crime.
Lynch and his co-accused were walking the streets of Warana at about 2am when they came across a man trying to get into his car, the court heard.
One member of the group then approached the man and threatened him saying “give us your car or lose your life, I’ve got a knife”.
Another co-offender then punched the man in the jaw, who fell to the ground and was kicked.
Lynch and his co-workers then got into the car but realised they didn’t have keys because they were still in the victim’s pocket as he lay on the ground.
The victim was threatened again and handed over the keys, and the group drove off with Lynch in the back seat, the court heard.
The group were later spotted by police about an hour later and began a pursuit which lasted about 15 minutes before the car was ultimately stopped by road spikes.
Crown prosecutor Madalyn Olivero said while Lynch was not one of the co-offenders involved in physically hurting the victim, he still chose to remain in the car when the key mishap occurred.
Defence barrister Nathan Turner said his client’s role in the incident was “very minor” and that his sentence should be dealt with discretion.
“He did not say anything or commit any violence, he did not drive the vehicle,” Mr Turner said.
“He admitted that he and the others were looking for items to steal.”
Lynch was given a two-year probation and sentenced to 200 hours of community service to be carried out within 12 months.
The court heard two of the co-accused were sentenced in the Queensland Children’s Court, and the third was never identified by police.
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