Alleged stolen car rams police vehicle in Mareeba
An alleged stolen car rampage at a crime-ravaged Atherton Tablelands town has ended in the arrest of two teens accused of repeatedly ramming a police vehicle. Check out the video.
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An alleged stolen car rampage in Mareeba has ended in arrest of two teens accused of repeatedly ramming a police vehicle.
Police allege a Nissan Navara utility was stolen from a Kowa Street address around 5.30am on Friday before being spotted by officers on Walsh St doing doughnuts and driving dangerously.
In a video posted to social media by Amelia Mann, a police mini-van can be seen to approach the ute before doing a U-turn and driving away.
The alleged stolen car gave chase and followed the police vehicle back across Byrnes St.
Frustration erupted on social media surrounding a no police chase policy introduced in 2012 that states inherently dangerous pursuits should only be undertaken if those fleeing are an “imminent threat to life” or have been involved in or threatened a murder or other serious offences.
“So where does this end,” one Mareeba resident stated.
“An innocent family being killed due to these thugs, police hands are tied, I’m guessing due to red tape and being able to chase them.
“Surely something has got to stop this from happening.”
There have been ongoing calls for a juvenile curfew in Mareeba following lawlessness, including street assaults, property crime, vandalism, arson and racially-fuelled street battles with law enforcement officers in the wake of the police shooting of Aubrey Donahue in 2023.
Later on January 26 at about 2pm, police allege the driver also failed to stop and later attempted to ram a police vehicle.
Officers took evasive action to avoid a collision, before the driver of the utility allegedly rammed the back of the police vehicle multiple times, causing minor damage.
The utility was located abandoned on Crisp Close.
A 16-year-old Mareeba boy was charged with ten counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle, two counts of evading police and one count each of entering premises, driving a vehicle without a licence, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
He was remanded in custody and appeared at Mareeba Childrens Court on January 29.
The 15-year-old Mareeba boy was charged with one count each of entering premises, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and attempted enter dwelling.
He is scheduled to appear in the Mareeba Childrens Court at a later date.
Originally published as Alleged stolen car rams police vehicle in Mareeba
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