Guns, knives, needles seized as police crack down on property crime

Police have charged 15 adults and teens with 75 offences. They include a boy who followed a woman home from work, punched her in the face and stole her handbag and a man who threatened police while in possession of several firearms.

FOR years, Sergeant Scott Prendergast has been telling the public to install CCTV cameras at their homes, and he is thankful that he followed his own advice in time to nab a thief.

The Kingaroy detective said CCTV cameras captured clear footage of the offender entering Sgt Prendergast’s car which led to a swift arrest and the recovery of stolen property.

“CCTV was very worthwhile … we put it in, and it worked,” he said.

Still, the incident left his family shaken up.

“The offenders have attended the small town I live in, have tried another address and have attempted to take my car for their getaway,” Sgt Prendergast said.

“Unfortunately, we must lock it or lose it, but that message was lost on my family that day.

“It was a mistake by a family member who was busy at the time, and she is belting herself up over that.”

Celebrating a win after police arrested 15 people on property, weapons and drugs charges are (from left) Kingaroy detective Sergeant Scott Prendergast and Darling Down Darling Downs District Acting Superintendent Danny Shaw.

The arrest came at the close of Operation Viper, a two-week operation targeting property crime in the South Burnett run by local police and officers from the Darling Downs District Tactical Crime Squad and Toowoomba Highway Patrol.

It recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen property, including a $180,000 excavator stolen from Ipswich.

Police arrested 15 adults and juveniles on 75 charges.

They include a 16-year-old Cherbourg boy who was charged with robbery using personal violence after he followed a 25-year-old woman home from work on February 9, punched her in the face and stole her handbag.

Police arrested 15 adults and teens and charged them with 75 offences at the close of a two-week operation targeting property crime in the South Burnett.

The boy then fled in a stolen vehicle driven by another person.

He will face the Murgon Children’s Court later this month charged with 10 offences while police continue their search for the driver.

Detectives from Kingaroy CIB arrested a 51-year-old Googa Creek man following threats made to harm police.

Two pistols and multiple cannabis plants and utensils were allegedly located following the execution of a search warrant at a Googa Creek address on February 9.

He is facing nine charges, including threatening police.

Police uncovered a cache of bladed weapons after intercepting a 35-year-old Taabinga man on the D’Aguilar Highway at Gilla on February 13 (pictured).

He came to an officer’s attention when he was sighted using a mobile phone while driving.

A search of his ute recovered a cache of five knives, including two hatchets and a machete and syringes.

The man is charged with six weapons and drug offences and remains in custody.

Darling Downs District Acting Superintendent Danny Shaw praised the hard work of the region’s police through the operation which was led by Senior Sergeant Brett Everest, Officer-in-Charge Murgon station.

“Our message to those doing the wrong thing is – we will catch up with you, and when we do, you will face the consequences of your actions,” he said