Toowoomba car thefts: Men arrested following crime spree

Two men have been charged by police for a crime spree across the Toowoomba region that ended when they were found by the dog squad and taken into custody.

Two men have been charged over a series of car thefts.

TWO men cornered by police came dangerously close to escalating the situation after officers found a replica firearm inside a stolen vehicle.

Police will allege Cody Henningsen, 26, and William Doidge, 19, are linked to the burglary of a Newtown home on Monday where a VW Amarok utility was stolen.

In the early hours of Tuesday, the same vehicle was abandoned at a Weedons Road address in Kingsthorpe.

The occupants were not home at the time but were alerted by a security camera of a break and enter at the property and notified police.

A Toyota LandCruiser was stolen from this address and was later spotted on the railway between Toowoomba and Kingsthorpe.

Police had also been notified about two people acting suspiciously on Filmers Road in Kingsthorpe.

Officers established cordons in the area to block an escape while the Toowoomba Dog Squad and local police tracked the alleged offenders and took them into custody just after 2pm.

There were concerns that the pair may be armed after police found a suspicious weapon in the vehicle that was later confirmed to be a gel blaster pistol.

Doidge is charged with burglary, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and entering premises.

He appeared before Toowoomba Magistrates Court via video link from the watch house where his solicitor Kyna Morice made a bail application.

She said Doidge had been doing well and staying out of trouble while working as a barista at Emerge Cafe where he was considered “one of the pin-ups”.

However, due to a downtown in business arising from Covid-19 restrictions, her client lost work and found himself with time on his hands and mixing with old associates.

Magistrate Kay Philipson granted Doidge bail with strict conditions including living with his sister in Glenvale, abiding by a nightly curfew, reporting to police daily and having no contact with his co-accused.

Henningsen is charged with four counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and two counts of stealing.

His parole has been suspended, and he was returned to prison.

Both men are yet to enter pleas to the charges.

The matter remains under investigation, and anyone with information is urged to contact police.