Warwick police investigating potential link to wider Darling Downs offences after recent offences

Police and emergency services have been kept busy in the Southern Downs, responding to multiple alleged thefts and related offences as well as a vehicle fire. Full details here.

Homes and businesses have been the target for thieves across the Southern Downs this week, as local police continue to investigate whether there’s a link to wider offending across the Darling Downs.

Property crime isn’t all that’s kept police and emergency services crews busy, with a vehicle fire and alleged traffic and drug related offending among the list.

See the full crime wrap from around the region below.

THEFTS

• The homeowner of a Pratten St residence woke to find an unknown person inside their home at around 1.30am on January 8.

The unknown person is alleged to have threatened the homeowner, forcing them to handover the keys to a Volkswagen station wagon.

The vehicle was then taken from the garage by the unknown person and was later located by police burnt out, near Boggabilla.

• A business in Project St was the target of a daylight robbery after a Mazda BT-50 and trailer were stolen from the premises on January 11.

Police believe an employee of the business had been using the vehicle and had briefly gotten out when the offender then took off in the vehicle.

The trailer attached to the Mazda was later found on a nearby road.

Police are looking into this offence to see whether it is potentially linked to similar offences in the wider Darling Downs area.

• Police are continuing to investigate after a cafe on Wood St was broken into sometime around 3.30am on January 14.

It’s believed the unknown person broke in by forcing their way into the rear part of the store, taking a small amount of cash.

DRUG OFFENCES

• A 33-year-old Warwick man will appear in Warwick Magistrates Court after police located him walking on Wood St allegedly in possession of a small quantity of drugs on January 10.

TRAFFIC OFFENCES

• A 27-year-old Warwick woman will appear in Warwick Magistrates Court after she was stopped by police for a random breath test on Tooth St on January 14.

The woman allegedly returned a breath analysis of 0.126.

Warwick police are continuing to investigate multiple theft related offences that have been occurring in the region.

PROPERTY DAMAGE

• Warwick police are continuing investigations after receiving reports that a public toilet located in Leslie Park had been damaged by what police suspect was the result of toilet rolls being set alight.

VEHICLE FIRE

• Emergency crews attended the scene of a vehicle fire at Gore on the Cunningham Highway at around 3.40am.

A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokeswoman said both Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue crews attended the scene and found no occupants in the vehicle or nearby area.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said initial reports indicated the vehicle may have been involved in some sort of crash.

The incident occurred near the Marble Creek bridge and police investigations into the cause of the incident are on going.

The QFES spokeswoman said the vehicle had been blocking the eastbound lane of the Cunningham Highway.

The vehicle fire had been contained by fire crews by around 7am, as well as a small grass fire on the roadside.

The QFES spokeswoman said smoke may be present in the area throughout the day.

The vehicle has now been cleared from the highway.