Thieves target cars, homes in Cannonvale, Jubilee Pocket

One alleged offender has been taken into custody while others remain at large after multiple thefts targeting cars and homes in the Airlie Beach area.

Whitsunday police are investigating multiple property crimes targeting cars and homes over the past week.

A 35-year-old Bundaberg woman has been remanded in custody after allegedly stealing a car from Cannonvale and committing multiple other offences as she drove it to Mackay.

Whitsunday Police acting officer in charge Sergeant Ryan Gregory said the woman took a white Ford utility from an address on Altmann Ave about 5am last Friday, June 18, and used it as a “tool” to commit further offences in other areas.

The vehicle was recovered in Mackay and the woman charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, two counts of stealing, driving an unregistered uninsured vehicle, failing to take reasonable care with a syringe, and obstructing police.

She appeared at Mackay Magistrates Court on Monday, June 21, where she was remanded in custody until her next court appearance on July 12.

Sgt Gregory said the alleged offender was known to the vehicle’s owner.

Number plate theft

Unknown offenders broke into a Holden Commodore on Macona Crescent, Cannonvale, between June 21 and June 23, stealing the vehicle’s registration plates.

Sgt Gregory said such offences were a “big problem” for police in Mackay and it was inevitable the trend would “trickle over” into regional areas.

“They’re predominantly used to bolt onto similar vehicles to try and hide stolen vehicles on the road, or to commit drive off offences,” Sgt Gregory said.

Contact your local police station for advice on anti-theft screws.

Home burglaries

Homes were also targeted by thieves in the past week, with police appealing for information on suspicious activity on Salmon St, Cannonvale, and Jubilee Pocket Rd, Jubilee Pocket.

Residents of the Salmon Street address woke to the sounds of a burglar rummaging around on the ground floor of their home about 11.40pm on June 21.

They managed to scare the offender off by yelling out from the top floor.

Sgt Gregory said there were no signs of forced entry and nothing was stolen.

The following day in Jubilee Pocket, an unknown offender cut a padlock off a timber paling gate to gain access to a property and forced a door open to get inside the house.

Sgt Gregory said no one was home at the time of the break in, which occurred between midnight and 11am on June 22, and nothing was stolen.

Originally published as Thieves target cars, homes in Cannonvale, Jubilee Pocket