Stranded Mount Isa mums track down teen car thief’s home after nightmare trip to Townsville

Two mums tracked down the home of an alleged teenage car thief after their family trip turned into a nightmare. Their belongings, including baby seats and a kids’ rocking horse, were found dumped. SEE THE CCTV

Two Mount Isa mums tracked down the home of an alleged teenage car thief, who later turned himself in, after their family trip to Townsville turned into a nightmare.

Jessie Osborne and Emily Swan, determined to recover their stolen Toyota HiLux ute and return home with their infant children, tracked down the family home of the 16-year-old boy allegedly caught on CCTV swiping their vehicle on Sunday morning.

The drama began around 5.30am as the friends were packing up outside their Aitkenvale accommodation, preparing to make the long journey back to Mount Isa.

“We were just about to grab the kids to put them in the car to leave town, and as we’ve gone out, he’s come in. The car was gone — all within a matter of minutes,” Jessie said.

CCTV footage shows a teenage boy hopping the fence moments before he stole a car from a home in Aitkenvale early on Sunday morning.

The stolen ute was spotted at several locations across town throughout the day, with some of their belongings — including baby seats, a kids’ rocking horse, and other items — found dumped along a roadside.

With their plans derailed and no immediate way to return home, Jessie and Emily decided they couldn’t just sit and wait.

Using CCTV footage and tips from locals, the pair tracked the alleged offender to his family’s house.

The mum had been in the middle of packing up her Toyota HiLux 4WD to return home to Mount Isa when it was stolen on Sunday morning.

When they arrived, the teenager and ute weren’t there, but they said the family didn’t seem surprised when they showed them the CCTV and told them about their stolen ute.

Jessie said the boy’s grandmother left a shocking impression: “She said, ‘You find him. You cut his hands off.’ She reckons they’ve been trying to get him on the right path, but he doesn’t want a bar of it...So she was like, you find him, call the police.”

Police said the 16-year-old ended up turning himself in at the Kirwan Police Station on Monday, November 18.

He has been charged with one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and trespass and is due to appear at the Townsville Children’s Court on November 22.

Items dumped from the stolen Toyota HiLux 4WD.

Despite the arrest, the HiLux remains missing, leaving Jessie and Emily praying it doesn’t turn up with significant damage, especially as the vehicle’s insurance cover had just lapsed.

The ordeal has soured the mums’ perception of Townsville, which they once considered a favourite getaway spot.

“We used to think it was such a beautiful, relaxing place. Now we don’t ever want to come back,” Jessie said.

Emily added, “The crime rate here is so much worse than Mount Isa. This has been a horrible experience. We just want the car and our belongings back so we can get home.”

To help the stranded family replace their belongings and cover the costs of returning home, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched.

Originally published as Stranded Mount Isa mums track down teen car thief’s home after nightmare trip to Townsville