Nathan Russell Neucom makes bail application after meth bust

A former miner is accused of chopping up two stolen vehicles, piecing them into one and using that rebirthed car to carry out more than 17 break-ins at various businesses.

Some of the businesses allegedly broken into where the chop-shop car was seen at various crime scenes around Rockhampton.

A former miner is accused of chopping up two stolen vehicles, piecing them into one and using that rebirthed car to carry out more than 17 break-ins at various businesses, a court heard.

Nathan Russell Neucom, 38, made an application for bail in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on April 15 after being charged with two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, one of possessing more than two grams of a schedule one drug, one of possessing a used pipe and failing to appear in court.

The now unemployed man is also charged with disqualified driving, driving an unregistered vehicle, driving an uninsured vehicle and driving a vehicle with registration plates attached that were recorded as cancelled, lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged.

Police prosecutor Mirren Smith said it was alleged Mr Neucom was identified in CCTV footage in connection with about 17 break and enter offences.

“He has hot-wired and taken some cars which were linked to those several other offences around town,” she said.

According to court documents seen by The Morning Bulletin, those businesses include Snooze, Amart, Eureka Street Furniture, Early Settler, Iassist, Bluestone Medical, Ruskin and several others with police alleging the theft of property valued several thousands of dollars.

Ms Smith said Mr Neucom was also allegedly found in possession of 12.7 grams of methamphetamines after was sentenced to 12 months prison last year for drugs.

She said he had a history of breaching bail conditions and was also on a probation order.

Defence lawyer Oscar Millroy said while the arresting officer had stated, in the objection to bail affidavit, that the “clearly distinguishable” vehicle had been unlawfully used it was “certainly not to say that he was involved in 17 other break and enter offences”.

In court documents police alleged Mr Neucom, a former operator at Curragh mine for 18 years, possessed strong working knowledge of machinery which could have assisted in modifying or manipulating vehicles.

“Notably the vehicle he was arrested in was determined to be a combination of two separate stolen vehicles that had been reassembled into a single functioning unit,” the document stated.

Police allege an offender stole the first Nissan Patrol from Parkhurst business Ruskin on February 26 at 3.30am.

“This vehicle was later observed in several offences around Rockhampton,” the court document stated.

Police also allege an offender parked their vehicle on the corner of Elphinstone and Nobb St and then walked down Elphinstone st to the carpark at Fulcrum Rockhampton at 3.25am on April 2.

They say the offender smashed the passenger side window of a 2014 White Nissan Patrol in the car park and crawled inside to “hot wire” the vehicle and drove off.

According to the court documents, when police arrested Mr Neucom on April 14 after locating him attempting to start the rebirthed vehicle at a Caltex service station on Yaamba Rd at 1.45am, they noticed the vehicle had a “green spray painted cab with a tray which appeared to be from another vehicle”.

“The dash of the vehicle was smashed allowing access to the steering column and ignition,” the document stated.

Mr Millroy said it would take some time for Mr Neucom’s charges to be finalised given the delays with drug analysis certificates experienced in Queensland at the moment.

Magistrate Lance Rundle determined Mr Neucom was an unacceptable risk of reoffending and refused to grant him bail.

Briefs of evidence were ordered for some of Mr Neucom’s charges and all were adjourned to June 11.

Mr Neucom was remanded in custody.

No pleas were entered.

Originally published as Nathan Russell Neucom makes bail application after meth bust