Trent Walker, Sean Nash, Shona Munro, Aaron Anderson: North Queensland’s car thieves named and shamed
With more charges relating to stolen cars in the past month than any other month in the past two years, meet the thieves being punished in Townsville’s court. See the list.
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There were more charges relating to stolen cars in the past month than any other month in the past two years.
The largest neighbourhood clusters for the unlawful use of vehicles were Vincent, Oonoonba, Aitkenvale, Pimlico, Townsville CBD, South Townsville, Rasmussen, Douglas, Kirwan and North Ward.
Acting Chief Superintendent Chris Lawson said Townsville police were committed to disrupting, deterring, and detecting property crime offences by rigorously investigating offences to identify and apprehend offenders and put them before the court.
“Through short operations such as Operation Uniform Antlia and Operation Uniform Casuarina, and our 2022 year long Operation Uniform Cygnus, we are able to hyper focus our resources from TCS (Tactical Crime Squad), RAP (Rapid Action Patrol), Property Crime Unit, Dog Squad and general duties officers to target property crime offences,” Superintendent Lawson said.
“We also have dedicated resources focused on juvenile offending. The Youth Justice Taskforce concentrates on targeting recidivist juvenile offenders to reduce re-offending through intervention and support beyond detention.
“The Youth Justice Taskforce began operations on February 15, 2021, while reforms targeting serious repeat offenders commenced on April 30 through changes to the Youth Justice and
Other Legislation Act.”
He said the reforms included new laws enabling a presumption against bail for serious repeat offenders and the ability for a court to seek assurances from parents or guardians before an offender is released.
“Through the early intervention program TSCEAG (Townsville Stronger Communities Early Action Group), police work with other agencies to offer practical, meaningful support to divert young people, who are at-risk of future offending, away from the justice system; improve the functioning of at-risk young people and their family; contribute to reducing crime and build a stronger and safer community,” he said.
“Townsville police value the information provided by community members in reporting criminal offences and actively work to educate the community on crime prevention.
“Townsville police will continue to relentlessly investigate property offences to identify and
apprehend offenders and put them before the court.”
Here are how some of NQ’s thieves were punished for the unlawful use of vehicles over the past year.
A young father broke into an automotive repair shop to steal a Landcruiser he had already stolen and rammed it through the gates during a month-long crime spree across North Queensland.
The court heard in August how Trent Walker, 22, had been out of prison for a month before he went on the rampage between May 17 and June 21.
The worst of his crimes was on June 19 when he broke into the Townsville Offroad Centre where three Toyota Landcruisers had been stolen, including one that had no keys which had been in for repairs after it was previously stolen.
Police prosecutor Tim Madsen said they rammed their way out, causing “extensive damage to the entrance gates”.
During his crime spree, Walker also broke into homes, and unlawfully used vehicles including acting as a lookout for a vehicle theft in Ayr.
He pleaded guilty to a total of 15 charges including five counts of unlawful use of vehicle, three counts of entering premises and committing an indictable offence, stealing, obstructing and evading police, possessing drugs, unlicensed driving, and using a stolen number plate.
Magistrate Scott Luxton jailed him for two and a half years.
A Townsville man drove a stolen vehicle into oncoming traffic on the Bruce Highway after the car’s owner tracked him down and tried to take his car back.
On August 17, a motorist left the keys inside his car when he walked inside to pay for his fuel at an El Arish Service Station.
Police prosecutor Tim Madsen described how Sean Wesley Nash, 35, spotted the keys, jumped into the vehicle and took off down the highway.
Determined to recover his car, the owner used an app to ping his phone, and traced his car to Butler St in Tully.
The victim ran towards the stolen vehicle and Nash accelerated forward about 2m, just missing the man.
Police set up a corden and called in a helicopter to help find Nash after he jumped out of the vehicle and ran into a cane field at Silky Oak, before eventually being apprehended.
He appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court in October, pleading guilty to the charges of dangerous operation of a vehicle, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, attempted escape by persons in lawful custody, and obstructing a police officer.
Nash received an additional 12 months jail time on top of his existing sentence, with a parole eligibility date for August 17, 2023.
A Townsville mum won’t be able to support her terminally ill mother after she was jailed for joy-riding in two stolen cars while on parole for unlawful use of a vehicle.
A court heard in October how police officers detected the fingerprints of mother-of-three Shona Lee Munro, 33, on two cars stolen on July 9 and July 15 – with one taken during a robbery.
Police prosecutor Luay Allawy said she obtained a stolen credit card which was used to buy cigarettes and phone credit, and in a separate incident, was involved in a fuel-drive off at Tropic Distributors, leaving them $114 out-of-pocket.
She appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court, pleading guilty to several charges including two counts of unlawful use of motor vehicles, and single counts of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence, fraud, receiving tainted property, stealing, and drug related offences.
Magistrate Ross Mack said she would be absent for an important part of both hers, and her mother’s life when she should have been available.
He imprisoned Munroe for an additional 12 months, with a parole eligibility date of January 24, 2023.
A North Queensland man’s plan to leave town in a pensioner’s stolen car was thwarted after police caught him driving more than four times over the legal limit.
Townsville Magistrates Court heard in October how the criminal history of Aaron Anderson, 46, had gone from “zero to 100” in two years.
Police prosecutor Mark Fenlon said on August 21, 2022, while Anderson was living in Charters Towers, he saw his chance to leave town when an 80-year-old man left his car keys in his car while he spoke with a friend
Anderson made off with the car and made a beeline for Townsville.
But his joy ride was cut short when police caught up with him, and he recorded a blood-alcohol content of .214 - more than four times the legal limit.
He pleaded guilty to charges of driving under the influence of liquor, driving without a licence, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Taking into account 54 days of pre-sentence custody, Anderson was sentenced to 12 months jail, with a parole release date set for December 20, 2022.
A Burdekin woman who forced police officers to dive for their lives when she fled the scene in a stolen vehicle was jailed.
Home Hill mother-of-one Torri-Lee Messer, 25, faced Townsville Magistrates Court on a string of theft charges in August.
The court heard Messer’s crime spree began on May 26 after she was “feeling low” following an argument with her mother over $100.
She went on to steal a white Holden Commodore from a property on Eighth Ave, belonging to a friend of her sister.
Messer appeared in Townsville Magistrates Court where she pleaded guilty to seven charges including unlawful use of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a vehicle, evading and obstructing police, driving without a driver’s licence (repeat offender), possessing dangerous drugs and utensils, and fraud – dishonestly make off without paying.
Allowing for her 79 days in custody, he imprisoned her for 15 months, setting a parole eligibility date for August 28.
Her licence was also disqualified for two years and seven months.
A serial car thief told a magistrate he was ready to turn over a new leaf after leaving his fingerprints behind during a joy ride in a stolen car.
A court heard in September how Alwyn Steven Grannigan, 21, had accumulated “unenviable” three page criminal history, including being busted six times for the unlawful use of motor vehicles since 2019.
Police prosecutor Sophie Rosby said the Townsville man’s fingerprints were detected in the interior and fuel cap panel of a dumped car which had been stolen in Townsville on May 22.
Appearing in Townsville Magistrates Court, Grannigan pleaded guilty to the unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Magistrate Taylor said previous jail sentences hadn’t acted as a deterrent and “more severe punishments were required”.
Taking into account 90 days already served in custody, Mr Taylor sentenced him to 10 months imprisonment with a parole release date for September 5.
It didn’t take long for Grannigan to be back behind bars.
A criminal’s dangerous joy ride in a stolen car was “doomed to fail”, after police found boxes of medication and ID cards labelled with his name in the abandoned vehicle.
Jamie William Lang’s crime spree began May 4, 2022 with a fuel steal from a service station at Vincent, but it would not end until he was found slumped over the steering wheel of a stolen car 48 hours later.
The 43-year-old who has spent 23 out of the past 24 years in jail pleaded guilty from custody in Townsville Magistrates Court in July to charges including dangerous operation of a vehicle, trespass, driving without a licence and stealing.
Police prosecutor Lisa Plessius said following a fuel drive-off, Lang was spotted driving erratically at a Majors Creek property.
A resident, who tried to barricade Lang into the property before police could arrive, saw Lang ram the fence multiple times to escape.
Lang then took off at high speeds further into the property, hitting fences along the way before driving it into a gully, wedging the car.
Magistrate Steven Mosch described the offending as “madness”.
“What started out with a relatively low-level offence, became more serious once inside a stolen car,” Mr Mosch said.
He sentenced Lang to 18 months jail with a parole eligibility date of October 14, 2022, and a six month licence disqualification.
A man a magistrate described as an unrepentant career criminal with little hope of rehabilitation was released from prison following a crime spree that rocked a rural North Queensland community.
Appearing via video link from the Townsville Correctional Centre in August, Jamie Arthur Ransley, 27, pleaded guilty in the Ingham Magistrates Court to 28 charges.
Among the crimes he committed in the Hinchinbrook Shire during November, 2021 were multiple counts of entering dwellings or premises and committing indictable offences, two counts of attempted burglary, two counts of entering premises with intent, two counts of stealing, and three counts of unlawful use of two quad bikes and a motorcycle.
Magistrate Peter Smid said Ransley had an “appalling criminal record”.
Noting one of character references where a man offered Ransley employment upon his release, the magistrate said, “there may be light at the end of the tunnel … as long as you don’t steal (the employer’s) vehicles”.
Taking into account the 274 days spent in pre-sentence custody, Ransley was jailed for three years, wholly suspended, with a two year and three month parole period.
A Townsville car thief claimed he had no idea he was in a stolen car despite making a run for it when police arrived.
Father-of-two David Douglas Deshong, 35, was sentenced in Townsville Magistrates Court in October after he pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a vehicle.
The court heard on June 17 this year Deshong had been trying to get home after a night drinking when friends pulled up in a stolen Proton and asked if he needed a lift.
Defence lawyer Nico Rump said it was only after Deshong got in the vehicle that he realised “pretty quick” that it had been stolen.
While it was travelling along Riverway Drive at 1.50am, Queensland police deployed a tyre deflation device, which successfully immobilised the car.
Deshong and two other men were captured by a resident’s CCTV fleeing from the stolen vehicle.
After identifying him from the footage, police prosecutor Nathan Smith said officers confronted him.
“He initially ran from police for unknown reasons … (before) providing an inconsistent version according to the CCTV available, where he was ‘just walking around’,” Mr Smith said.
Pointing to Deshong’s eight page criminal history, Mr Smith said this offending was aggravated by being committed on parole.
Allowing for 80 days served in pre-sentence custody, Magistrate Ross Taylor sentenced Deshong to three additional months imprisonment, with an October 29 parole eligibility date.
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