Police arrest and charge suspect in shooting of Brisbane police officer Neil Scutts

Police investigating a 1999 bank heist during which a police officer was shot and almost killed have made a major breakthrough.

The NAB at Browns Plains where police officer Neil Scutts was shot during an armed robbery.

Police investigating the shooting of police officer Neil Scutts during a 1999 bank robbery near Brisbane have made a major breakthrough.

A 49-year-old Brisbane man has been arrested and charged over the robbery and shooting at the Browns Plains branch of National Australia Bank.

Police allege two men wearing white masks similar to those from the horror movie Friday the 13th stormed the bank before holding staff and customers at gunpoint.

Then-Constable Scutts, who attended the robbery with another officer, was shot within minutes of arriving.

He suffered a gunshot wound to his groin, which narrowly missed major arteries and left him unable to walk for months.

Neil Scutts today, 21 years after he was shot while attending a bank robbery in Browns Plains. Picture: Peter Wallis

The offenders fled on foot, taking two staff members hostage before stealing a vehicle at gunpoint.

Police say the firearm used in the shooting was a Queensland Police Service-issued Sturm Ruger .357 six-shot revolver, which was stolen and is yet to be recovered.

The two-decade investigation into what was Australia’s only unsolved police shooting in was led by Logan CIB detectives, who in November offered $500,000 for information leading to an arrest.

“The dedicated investigative team have worked tirelessly on this case and while there is still a lot of work to do, the arrest is certainly a major milestone in the investigative process,” Detective Inspector Tod Reid said.

“I would like to acknowledge the assistance from the public we have received on this matter to date, and would encourage anyone with information who is yet to speak with police to come forward.”

Neil Scutts revisits the scene in March 2003.

The accused has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, three counts of armed robbery while in company, seven counts of deprivation of liberty and one count of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

The offender appeared in Brisbane Magistrate’s Court and was remanded in custody to appear agin on February 8 next year.