Gold Coast crime: Police called to failed ram-raid break-in at Evolve Skateboards on John Duncan Court at Varsity Lakes
The founder of a long-running electric skateboard business on the Gold Coast has spoken about watching the botched ram-raid break-in of his premises live on CCTV.
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THE founder of a long-running electric skateboard business on the Gold Coast has spoken about watching the botched ram-raid break-in of his Varsity Lakes premises live on CCTV.
Evolve Skateboard’s Jeffrey Anning said the ram-raid was the fourth break-in at the business this year, but on this attempt the crooks driving a stolen Mahindra ute were unsuccessful.
“Nothing was stolen. It was a massive failed attempt,” Mr Anning said.
“We’ve been slowly upgrading the factory. It’s like Fort Knox.”
The ute taken from Beenleigh was driven at the business on John Duncan Court, hit security bollards and caught fire as the driver revved the ute’s engine in vain just before 4am on Friday.
Mr Anning said the roller door of the business would have to be replaced at a cost of about $5000.
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The businessman, who lives over the border in Kingscliff, was woken by a phone call from his security company as the thieves tried to smash their way in.
“We live over the border, so we haven’t been able to get to our workplace, or get the kids to school. It’s been a nightmare,” Mr Anning said.
“I got the phone call about 3.30am. We’ve got cameras all through there and we’ve got a security monitoring system. I thought ‘something’s up, we’re getting broken into’.
“My heart started to race. I jumped onto my phone and I’ve got live access to all areas in the factory.
“I expected to see people running around stealing s--t, but I couldn’t see anyone.”
Mr Anning then spotted “this shining light” on the CCTV camera – and thought his business was going up in flames, unable to see the ute at the door.
“I saw smoke and debris and thought ‘maybe there’s a fire in our factory’, because we deal with electrics. I thought there was a battery fire. I was freaking out,” he said.
“I called my manager who lives nearby. He picked up the phone thank god, went down there.
“He rocked up, rang me and said ‘there’s a f--cking car that’s tried to run through the roller door’.
“Then it (the ute) exploded. It literally exploded. It blew up.
“They’d smashed through the doors, hit the bollard, still accelerating. One thing led to another, the car couldn’t handle it and it just went up.
“A guy a few doors down at our complex … he heard it, ran out and he saw it. This guy (the driver) has ran off.
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“I couldn’t believe it. I’m just stoked it wasn’t the factory going up in flames.”
Mr Anning said the three previous break-ins, ranging from about four weeks ago to four months ago, had resulted in multiple arrests and charges.
Gold Coast police were still investigating the latest break-in Friday afternoon, a spokeswoman said.
Mr Anning said the newly announced relaxing of border restrictions would mean he could return to Evolve and his kids could resume schooling.
He said his business has been going well despite the Covid-19 pandemic and has been well-supported by the Coast community.
Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Ute gutted by fire after botched ram-raid break-in
Earlier: POLICE are investigating after a car caught fire following a failed ram-raid break-and-enter at an electric skateboard business on the Gold Coast.
A Mahindra Genio ute was reversed into the business, Evolve Skateboards, on John Duncan Court at Varsity Lakes about 4am on Friday, a Gold Coast police spokeswoman said.
“The vehicle caught fire and had to be extinguished,” she said.
“The vehicle was totally destroyed by the fire.
“Once extinguished it was discovered that entry was not gained to the business as bollards were installed at the business which prevented access.”
Officers soon determined the ute had been stolen from Beenleigh on Sunday, September 5.
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) firefighters were called to John Duncan Dr about 4.05am and found the ute on fire.
The fire was extinguished in about 5-10 minutes and there was no damage to the building, a QFES spokeswoman said.
Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Logan man’s alleged crime spree after Coast screwdriver robbery
September 7: A man who allegedly threatened a Gold Coast store attendant at the weekend has been charged with multiple offences over his alleged involvement in a crime spree spanning South East, Central and North Queensland.
Police say the Woodridge man, 30, was involved in three incidents across Coomera, Sarina – south of Mackay – and Bowen over a 24-hour period between September 5-6.
The man first came to the attention of police after he allegedly entered a grocery store just before 5pm Sunday, producing a screwdriver to threaten the male store attendant.
It is alleged the man stole money from the till as well as a set of car keys and vehicle which belonged to the 25-year-old store attendant.
Just 24 hours later, the man reportedly travelled to Central Queensland to meet with a Manoora man, 29, before the pair allegedly robbed a drive-through bottle shop at Sarina.
Police allege two men approached the store in a silver sedan about midday on September 6 before one of the suspects, who was wearing a fishing mask, threatened an employee with a tyre iron and demanded money.
The man allegedly took a sum of money and liquor before re-entering the vehicle and driving away. It is understood the pair then travelled more than two hours north to Bowen.
About 3pm that same day, police allege the suspects threatened the owner of a Mitsubishi Triton which was parked on a Bowen street before stealing the vehicle.
Police caught up with the Woodridge man just over an hour later after he was arrested at a property at Salisbury Plains.
He was charged with four counts of stealing, three counts each of evading police and unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count each of wilful damage, armed robbery, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and attempted robbery.
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The man’s alleged accomplice was arrested after police successfully deployed a tyre deflation device at Alligator Creek to stop the vehicle he was travelling in.
It comes after he allegedly broke into a Burdekin property and demanded the keys to the resident’s vehicle.
He has been charged with four counts of evading police, two counts each of armed robbery, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and one count each of driving without a licence and entering a dwelling with intent.
He is due to appear in Townsville Magistrates Court today.
Police charge Logan man after Coast screwdriver robbery
September 7: A LOGAN man has been charged with armed robbery after he allegedly threatened a Gold Coast grocery store attendant with a screwdriver before he stole the worker’s car and fled.
Queensland Police Service alleges the man entered the store on Dreamworld Parkway at Coomera and “produced a screwdriver” during the robbery about 4.40pm on Sunday.
Police believe the man took cash from the till before he stole the worker’s car keys.
The Woodridge man, 30, has since been “located by police in Townsville with the vehicle”, a police statement read.
He has been charged with armed robbery and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The man was expected to face Townsville Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Armed robber threatens worker with screwdriver, steals his car
September 6: Police are on the hunt for an armed robber who menaced a Gold Coast grocery store attendant with a screwdriver before he stole the worker’s car and fled the area.
The man entered the store on Dreamworld Parkway at Coomera and “produced a screwdriver” about 4.40pm on Sunday, a Gold Coast police spokeswoman said.
He threatened a 25-year-old man working at the counter of the store, demanding cash and cigarettes.
The robber obtained an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register.
He then took a set of car keys from behind the counter and made off with the employee’s 2007 model Toyota Camry.
The vehicle was last seen heading northbound on the M1 (Pacific Motorway) after the brazen robbery.
Police investigations were ongoing on Monday morning.
Jewellery stolen, doors demolished in brazen shopping centre heist
August 27: Brazen thieves have crashed a car through the doors of a Gold Coast shopping centre before they used the vehicle to ram-raid a jewellery store inside the premises.
The offenders escaped Stockland Burleigh Heads shopping centre with a “significant amount of jewellery” after the break-and-enter on Friday about 3.30am.
They were still on the run on Friday afternoon and investigations were ongoing.
Queensland Police stated “a red sedan smashed through the glass doors” of the West Burleigh Rd shopping centre, before it “smashed through the doors of the jewellery store”.
“Two people got out of the car and stole a significant amount of jewellery before leaving the shopping centre in a white sedan,” a statement read.
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“The red Mazda 2 was found abandoned in Wairoo St just before 10am. The group were seen breaking into cars on Tabilban Street around 2.30am and hit a parked Honda Jazz when a passer-by disrupted them.”
The car was reported stolen from a Thornlands home early on Thursday morning.
Anyone with information, or who may have seen anything suspicious in the area at the time, should contact police.
Coast jewellery store ramraided in shopping centre heist
Earlier: Thieves have driven a vehicle into a shopping centre to ram-raid a jewellery store on the Gold Coast overnight.
The break-and-enter targeting Prouds Jewellers occurred at Stockland Burleigh Heads shopping centre on West Burleigh Rd just after 3am on Friday, a Queensland Police spokesman said.
A vehicle was used to ram through the doors of the shop and officers have been working to determine what was stolen in the ram-raid.
Police were combing through CCTV footage later on Friday morning.
No arrests had been made as of 8.15am.
The ram-raid break-in follows several similar alleged incidents at Prouds Jewellers stores at Elanora and Runaway Bay last year.
However, there has been no indication the incidents are linked.
Queensland Police officers working in forensics have been examining the scene.
Anyone in the area at the time of the break-in should phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Two Coast chemists raided for prescription drugs in two days
August 26: Thieves have broken into a Gold Coast chemist and stolen prescription drugs a day after another city chemist was ramraided for medication.
Gold Coast police have been investigating the latest break-and-enter on Eggersdorf Road at Ormeau, which occurred about 2.45am on Thursday.
The unidentified offenders gained entry to the chemist by “using two large rocks to smash the front glass window”, a police spokeswoman said.
“The offenders then stole a small amount of prescription medication before fleeing the scene.”
On Wednesday morning, Gold Coast police were on the hunt for thieves who targeted a chemist on Kristine Lane at Upper Coomera about 1am.
In that break-in a stolen ute was reversed through the front of the business.
Three offenders stole prescription drugs before leaving the area.
Chemist ramraided in pursuit of prescription drugs
August 25: Thieves have used a stolen ute to ram through the door of a chemist in an overnight break-and-enter targeting prescription drugs on the Gold Coast.
Police were alerted to the incident which occurred at a chemist on Kristine Lane at Upper Coomera about 1am on Wednesday.
A Gold Coast police spokeswoman said the ute was “used to reverse into the front doors” of the shop.
“Three offenders entered the premises and stole prescription medication before leaving the scene in the utility,” a statement read.
“Extensive damage was caused to the glass door.”
Investigations were ongoing later on Wednesday morning.
Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Police charge teens after chopper tracked ‘stolen’ car
August 16: Four teenagers aged 14-15 have been charged by Gold Coast police and refused watch house bail after a stolen Toyota HiLux ute was dumped in the city.
Police stated officers were monitoring the ute with a POLAIR helicopter after it entered the Coast from the Brisbane area.
“The vehicle was observed to stop at Seagreen Dr at Upper Coomera and the four occupants fled the vehicle around 9.10pm,” a statement read.
“A short time later police detained all the occupants nearby without incident.”
Police have charged a 14-year-old girl with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and driving a motor vehicle without a driver's licence (never held licence).
A 15-year-old boy has been charged with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one count of fail to comply with requirement to stop private vehicle.
A 15-year-old girl has been charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and driving of motor vehicle without a driver's licence (never held licence).
The trio have been refused watch house bail and were expected to face Southport Children’s Court on Monday.
A fourth teen, a 15-year-old boy, has also been taken into custody.
Police investigations were ongoing on Monday morning.
Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Video: Vicious brawl at Gold Coast park
August 10: A man who was allegedly stabbed at a popular Gold Coast park and rushed to hospital with serious injuries has told police he doesn’t want to press charges.
Footage has emerged on Facebook of the alleged attack that occurred on Saturday afternoon at the Cascade Gardens in Broadbeach about 5.30pm.
The video shows a brawl breaking out in the gardens between a group of men.
Members of the groups are shown to be standing over a person and attacking him while he lays on the ground.
A person is heard yelling at the group of attackers that police are on their way and asks for an ambulance to be called.
Paramedics including the High Acuity Response Unit took the man to Gold Coast University Hospital in a critical condition.
He allegedly had several penetrating wounds to his head and back following the incident.
A Queensland Police spokesperson said officers visited the 23-year-old victim in hospital but he did not want to press charges and did not co-operate with their investigation.
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