Police investigate armed robbery at Highfields

Three people armed with a baseball bat, a plank of wood and what looked like a firearm stormed a woman’s house in Highfields leaving the owners losing thousands of dollars.

Three armed people stormed a house in Highfields during a terrifying daylight home invasion and demanded a woman hand over cash and the keys to her cars.

Toowoomba Detective Senior Sergeant Paul McCusker said the intruders entered the woman’s Merrol Street home about noon on Saturday.

“They were all armed,” he said.

“One with a baseball bat, one with a bit of wood and one with what appeared to be a firearm,” he said.

The intruders forced the woman to hand over keys for a VW Golf sedan and a 2010 midnight grey BMW 528i (Qld rego QEJ 80Z) before fleeing with the vehicles.

“The occupants of the Merrol Street house were unharmed but deeply shaken,” Sgt McCusker said.

The Golf was dumped in David Street, Rockville about 7.20pm on Sunday while the BMW remains missing.

Police have appealed for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward along with anyone who finds an abandoned BMW.

The robbery comes at the end of a busy March where police recorded 52 break-and-entry or burglary-type offences in the Toowoomba area.

This includes a stolen car used in a smash-and-grab at the Tower Shopping Centre where thieves stole about $20,000 worth of cigarettes.

Of those offences, 35 occurred at homes or businesses where the owners left the property open or unlocked and vehicle keys were left in plain sight on kitchen benches and tables.

“While we accept as a police service we have an obligation to our community to keep people safe and reduce crime, equally the community has a responsibility to reduce crime,” Assistant Commissioner Mike Condon said.

During the same period police arrested 38 offenders, most of whom were aged between 12-17 years.

“We are doing our bit to respond, but the community has a critical role to play – as we do – in prevention,” Mr Condon said. “They can do so by making sure their properties are secure and their keys are not left in plain view.”