Hero locals jump in to thwart alleged car thief after Morningside crash

A group of neighbours in Brisbane’s south have banded together to stop a car thief who attempted to flee after he crashed into two parked cars.

A man is in custody following the incident.

A group of neighbours in Brisbane’s south have banded together to stop an alleged car thief who attempted to flee after he crashed into two parked cars.

Police were called to Key Street and Redfern Street at Morningside about 7.40pm on Monday after a stolen Nissan Dualis crashed in two parked cars and rolled over.

The 28-year-old driver allegedly tried to flee the scene but members of the public detained him until police arrived and arrested the man.

The man is in custody.

Police allege the Nissan Dualis was stolen from Mooloolaba on February 22.

Eleonora James said she was inside when she heard a commotion about 7.30pm.

“I was getting the dogs food ready and there was this really big bang and a scream,” she said.

“And two minutes later I could hear all these people yelling and running.

“The dogs started to bark so I thought better have a look.”

When she walked outside she said she saw five men holding down a young man.

“You could hear he was trying to get up, he was making all sorts of noises,” she said.

“They all seemed to be hyped up about it but that’s when I heard the car was stolen and he’d run into somebody and when it happened he ran away.”

She said it was loud and everybody was talking at once.

“When I heard the bang and I thought somebody hurt themselves in the construction,” she said

“There was a group of people standing near Key Street.

“It was the people who were here getting the sandbags who got the man, it seemed like a citizen’s arrest.”