Toowoomba crime: Armed robbery, carjacking incidents involving machetes investigated by police

Toowoomba residents and businesses have been hit by multiple terrifying incidences involving machetes. Here’s how it all unfolded overnight and into this morning.

Toowoomba police are appealing for information from the public after multiple alleged offences involving machetes were reported within hours of each other on Monday.

Detectives have launched probes into at least two incidents, including the armed robbery of a Toowoomba pub and an attempted carjacking in which the driver was struck by a machete.

At this stage, it is not believed the two incidents are linked.

Officers believe two people hit the Gowrie Road Hotel in Newtown around 4am on Monday, armed with a machete and screwdriver.

Initial reports suggest the offenders entered the pokies room of the licensed venue before demanding money.

Police investigate an incident at Gowrie Road Hotel in Bridge St, Monday, November 6, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Police have appealed for witnesses and are also believed to be going over CCTV footage.

It comes after a Toowoomba man said he was nearly carjacked in the city’s northern suburbs just after 8.30am.

Matt George said he had pulled over on Old Goombungee Rd in Harlaxton, not far from a major roundabout, to use his phone when his car door swung open.

Mr George said a young man brandished a machete or “foot-long” knife and struck him with the blunt end, telling him to “get the f--- out of the car”.

“He was yelling and holding up the machete — after he hit me with the blunt end, it looked like he was about to swing it again,” he said.

“I reached for my phone (to take with me), and then I realised he wasn’t holding onto the car, so I just hit the gas and drove off.”

Mr George said he was terrified, noting the whole incident felt surreal.

“I remember thinking, ‘this must be a dream, this can’t be real’,” he said.

Two men have since been charged over the incident, along with a string of other offences relating to separate matters.

Anyone with information relating to the two incidents should call PoliceLink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Toowoomba crime: Armed robbery, carjacking incidents involving machetes investigated by police