Mystery co-offender: Recidivist car thief Brandon Clay Hill sentenced for latest crime

A serial thief approached a stranger who was sitting in their car, claimed the vehicle was his and took off with it. The cops later found it with fake plates, and a shotgun shell inside.

On March 17, 2025, Brandon Clay Hill, 28, pleaded guilty to a Toowoomba car jacking from his prison cell.

A Toowoomba resident came face-to-face with a redicivist criminal who has spent a majority of his adult life serving jail terms, when the car thief demanded the victim get out of ‘his’ car.

Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard during the day in Toowoomba on October 30, 2024, Brandon Clay Hill approached a man who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a car, and ripped the keys from the ignition.

Hill was verbally abusive and accused the victim of driving his car, alleging it had been stolen from him a month ago.

When the man tried and failed to reason with Hill, he succumbed to Hill’s demands.

The court heard Hill with a co-offender at the time, however he instructed his solicitor he didn’t remember who the man was.

After the 28-year-old let the victim remove his belongings from the car, the pair drove off in the car.

On March 17, 2025, Brandon Clay Hill, 28, pleaded guilty to a Toowoomba car jacking from his prison cell.

Police later located the car with false plates attached and arrested Hill after he fled on foot.

Officers also found a 16-gauge shotgun shell in the car, however the court heard Hill did not have a gun licence.

When speaking to officers, he told them he thought the car was his, but later realised his mistake when he checked the vehicle’s identification number.

The court heard Hill had never reported his car stolen.

Hill was two months into a 12-month probation order when the crime occurred and had a disqualified driver’s licence.

The father of two had a 13-page criminal history, which included seven convictions of unlawful use, the most recent of which he was sentenced for in November 2023 and sentenced to more than one year in jail.

The court heard Hill, who had a disadvantaged upbringing, had a number of mental health diagnoses and suffered from drug addiction.

On Monday, March 17, Hill pleaded guilty to stealing a car, using false plates, driving unlicensed, and possessing ammunition.

He was sentenced to a 12-month jail term.

The 137 days Hill served since his arrest were declared as time served, and he was granted eligibility to apply for parole.

His license was disqualified for three years.