German tourist allegedly robbed at gunpoint by Bruce Hwy rest stop near Cardwell

Police have revealed details of how they tracked down and caught three people who allegedly carjacked a tourist at gunpoint.

Police have released dramatic footage of a complex, well-co-ordinated arrest of alleged offenders who were charged with carjacking a young German tourist at gunpoint in an incident that has shocked North Queenslanders.

Acting Superintendent Damien Crosby of Queensland Police Service confirmed on Monday that the trio had been detained on the outskirts of Townsville following the alleged robbery at a public rest stop on or near the Bruce Highway in Cardwell, Far North Queensland, on Saturday.

“A German tourist simply minding his business at a rest area in Cardwell when he was approached by three (alleged) offenders, he was (allegedly) threatened with a firearm and he was robbed of that vehicle (a white Hyundai Accent),” he said.

“As those (alleged) offenders approached Townsville (to the south), there was a very well-co-ordinated response from local police involving tyre deflation devices and Polair (police helicopter), the Tactical Crime Squad and the Dog Squad and … all three (alleged) offenders were immediately taken into custody.”

Acting Superintendent Crosby claimed that all three alleged offenders, including Jessica Bransby, Joel John Ashby-Vaughn and an unnamed juvenile, initially attempted to flee the stolen vehicle after it was disabled near Deeragun.

“All three (alleged) offenders did decamp (run off) but it was a very well-co-ordinated response; the Dog Squad was already in position and all three (alleged) offenders were arrested quite promptly.”

He said the tourist had been through a traumatic event.

“It would have been a terrible situation for an international tourist as a guest in our county to find themselves in, we are providing all the support that we can.”

Acting Superintendent Crosby said any offence involving a weapon was a priority for police.

“Any offence involving a weapon, any offence involving violence toward a member of the public, in this case an international tourist is a priority for us.”

He described the co-ordination between the Far North and Townsville police districts during the response as “seamless”.

“We practise with our neighbouring police on a daily basis, the QPS is a very agile and flexible organisation, it’s very simple for us to deploy resources north and to other areas and likewise it’s very simple for other districts to deploy resources in our area,” he said.

“This is an example of an offence that occurred some 300 kilometres away and the (alleged) offenders were taken quickly into custody.”

Bransby and Ashby-Vaughn were both charged with armed robbery in company. Their cases were mentioned in Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday, and their next appearance was listed for September 11, 2025 in Tully.

A youth offender, a teenager, was charged with armed robbery in company and was scheduled to appear in the Townsville Children’s Court on July 28.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Quote this reference number: QP2501312384

Originally published as German tourist allegedly robbed at gunpoint by Bruce Hwy rest stop near Cardwell