Luke Darby Cranston charged with arson and burglary of $1.8m home, theft of fire truck

A young man accused of ransacking and setting fire to a $1.8m home and stealing a rural fire truck is back behind bars in a move which left his lawyer scrambling.

The lawyer for Luke Darby Cranston was left scrambling as his client was sent to the Mackay watch house after a magistrate revealed the 23 year old was no longer entitled to bail.

A young Ilbilbie man accused of ransacking and setting fire to a $1.8m home and stealing and damaging a rural fire truck during bushfire season is back behind bars on remand as fresh charges are revealed.

The lawyer for Luke Darby Cranston was left scrambling as his client was sent to the Mackay watch house after a magistrate revealed the 23 year old was no longer entitled to bail.

Police allege Mr Cranston and others broke into a Mackay region mansion on September 2, 2023 and caused a financial loss totalling more than $900,000, including stealing $200,000 in gold bullion, $50,000 in cash, guns and ammunition and jewellery after getting into a locked safe.

A vehicle was taken and driven to Mia Mia Connection Rd and set on fire — it was completely destroyed.

It is further alleged Mr Cranston and another returned to the home on September 3, doused the property with petrol and set it on fire.

Mr Cranston is charged with two counts each of arson (structure and vehicle) and enter dwelling and commit, stealing from a locked receptacle and unlawful use of a motor vehicle over the offending.

The owners had been overseas, and CCTV captured the alleged offending.

Luke Darby Cranston is also charged with allegedly stealing an Isuzu NPS 3007 fire truck and Nissan Patrol rural fire vehicle and causing up to $350,000 in damage.

He is also facing multiple other charges including break and enter and theft in relation to an Isuzu NPS 3007 fire truck and Nissan Patrol rural fire vehicle. He is further charged with allegedly causing up to $350,000 in damage in November 2023.

It is alleged he broke into the Sarina Marlborough Rural Fire Brigade on October 31 and the Victoria Plains Rural Fire Brigade on November 4.

When police raided a Sarina home on November 5 officers seized emergency lights allegedly from the Isuzu truck hidden at the Keilbach Ct property.

It is further alleged police found the stolen truck covered by a tarpaulin at an unoccupied property on Marlborough Sarina Rd at Sarina Range.

Mr Cranston’s matter was mentioned in Mackay Magistrates Court on Wednesday when he was formally charged with two further offences – unlawfully entering premises and damaging a building structure and personal effects on November 4, 2023 at Sarina Range.

Magistrate Damien Dwyer raised that these new charges put Mr Cranston in a show cause situation.

“All of which is news to me I’m afraid your honour,” Andrew Bale of AW Bale and Son Solicitors said, appearing over the phone.
“Mr Cranston, in the dock please,” Mr Dwyer said.

The court heard Mr Cranston was now alleged to have committed indictable offences while being on bail for other indictable offences – this meant the onus of bail was now on him and he was no longer just entitled to it.

Mr Bale said he did not have a copy of the paperwork and told the court he was “caught a little off guard” with this latest development.

Mr Dwyer said the matter would be adjourned to Friday and Mr Cranston would remain in the watch house until then. All his bail was revoked.

Originally published as Luke Darby Cranston charged with arson and burglary of $1.8m home, theft of fire truck