Car fire, vehicle theft, drugs: Crime wave sweeps Warwick

Police believe the torched car could be linked to a brazen vehicle theft only minutes from the crime scene.

SET ALIGHT: Police allege a torched car could be linked to another vehicle theft only minutes away. Picture: iStock

A stolen car set alight just outside Warwick has been linked to another vehicle theft only minutes from the first scene, with the incidents only two in a string of crime sweeping the Rose City.

Warwick police officers were called to the vehicle fire on Toolburra Plains Road at about 7.30am on Tuesday, which they allege involved a car stolen from a Goondiwindi property several weeks earlier.

Sergeant Shane Reid said the car was “completely destroyed” by the flames and believed to have been torched by the thief.

A vehicle theft was reported only hours earlier at about 5.30am the same day, when a Mitsubishi Triton utility and a motorbike were stolen from a Leslie Dam property.

While investigations were ongoing and no arrests made, Sergeant Reid said police believed the two crimes were connected.

“They’re believed to be linked … (it) looks like they’ve gone and stolen the second car and torched the first one shortly after,” Sergeant Reid said.

Several alleged drink and drug drivers have also been nabbed across the Rose City this week.

A 19-year-old Warwick man was allegedly caught drug driving on Pratten Street at about 10am on Monday. He was issued with a notice to appear in Warwick Magistrates Court.

It was only hours later at about 2.30pm on Monday that a 35-year-old Warwick woman was intercepted by police on Albion Street.

She was also charged with drug driving and will appear in Warwick Magistrates Court at a later date.

Police also nabbed a West End man who was allegedly behind the wheel with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.058 on Fitzroy Street at about 8.40pm on Monday.

He is due to appear in Warwick Magistrates Court on May 5.

Another man from Surfers Paradise was given a drug diversion when he was busted with a small amount of marijuana and drug utensils at about 5.40pm on Tuesday in Warwick.

Residents with information about a crime should contact Warwick Police on 4660 4444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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