Teen’s criminal rampage ends in POLAIR pursuit and tyre spikes
A teenage boy on 36 charges, including six armed robberies and threatening a nurse with a hammer before stealing her car, has tried to escape police in dramatic scenes at Ellis Beach.
Cairns
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cairns. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A teenage boy on 36 charges, including six armed robberies and threatening a Cairns nurse with a hammer before stealing her car, has tried to escape police in dramatic scenes at Ellis Beach where his adult co-offender leapt into the ocean with his french bulldog to avoid arrest, police allege.
Cairns Criminal Investigation Branch detectives with help from the Cairns Dog Squad and Tactical Crime Squad charged a 15-year-old Gordonvale boy with a total of 36 property related offences on Sunday.
Police further allege the boy was involved in six armed robberies and multiple break-ins and the theft of vehicles from the greater Cairns area in the last month.
It is further alleged on January 16, the boy assaulted a Cairns Hospital nurse on Lake St and stole her handbag before fleeing on foot.
Police stated the boy also attempted to break into vehicles at the Cairns Hospital on Lake Street on January 17, when he threatened a nurse with a hammer before assaulting her and making off with her car keys and vehicle.
The young defendant’s alleged crime spree moved north to Palm Cove on Sunday when two Oliva St properties were targeted.
He allegedly threatened one homeowner with a knife, before stealing a Nissan Navara.
The Cairns POLAIR helicopter was deployed to track the vehicle as it drove dangerously up the Captain Cook Highway near Wangetti en route to Port Douglas before tyre spikes were used to stop the car at Ellis Beach.
Police allege 39-year-old Trinity Beach man, Joseph Clarke, fled on foot with his pet french bulldog from the immobilised vehicle, ran across the beach, and threw himself into the water.
He was charged with five counts of breach of a bail condition, and one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and driving of motor vehicle without a drivers licence.
The 15-year-old boy allegedly tried to stop vehicles on the highway before fleeing on foot to eventually be arrested on the Captain Cook Highway shortly after.
Detective Inspector Cindy Searle said given the seriousness of his alleged violent crimes, the boy was a high profile offender at the time of his arrest, and officers heavily invested in taking him into custody who were rostered off for the weekend clocked on to assist in getting the 15-year-old off the street.
“Definitely in the Far North, he certainly was one of our most wanted people for the last week,” she said.
“He is somebody who has been (allegedly) causing a large amount of chaos.
“It’s very concerning when we have juveniles with those weapons and acting in a way … that’s unexpected and has no real rational appearance to the thought behind it.”
Detective Inspector Searle also thanked members of the public who stopped to give police officers lifts up the Captain Cook Hwy from one location to another as the situation unfolded.
“One of the officers involved flagged down a vehicle to assist him from getting to where he was to where he could hear the other police on the radio were,” she said.
“We are very grateful to … the community (whom) did give police quite a lot of assistance.”
Following his arrest the boy was charged with six counts of armed robbery with violence and enter dwelling and commit, three counts each of enter premises and commit and enter premises and commit indictable offence, four counts each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and unlicensed driving, one count each of receiving tainted property, dangerous operation of a vehicle with a prior conviction, common assault, stealing, wilful damage, attempted enter dwelling, attempted unlawful entry of a vehicle, possess dangerous drugs, possess utensils, unlawful possession of weapons category R namely pepper spray and unlawful possession of weapon category M namely a flick knife.
Both the 15-year-old and Mr Clarke were refused bail and were due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Monday, January 20.
The teen made no application for bail and his matter was adjourned until February 4.
Mr Clarke’s application for bail was refused by Magistrate Jakub Lodziak.
“I am concerned Mr Clarke is alleged to be committing such serious offences and doing so while on bail and in the company of a 15-year-old,” magistrate Lodziak said.
“The offending was protracted, dangerous and required intervention by police and it continued with Mr Clarke fleeing from police before they caught up with him in the water.”
Mr Clarke was already on bail for a number of offences at the time of his arrest.
His matters were adjourned to January 23 where they will be dealt with alongside other charges including drug offences.
After an airconditioned ride in a police car back to the Cairns Police Station, arrangements were made for the little white dog to be safely handed on to a carer connected to the man arrested on the beach.
More Coverage
Originally published as Teen’s criminal rampage ends in POLAIR pursuit and tyre spikes
Bureau warns of ‘dangerous weather’ and major flooding
Major flood warnings have been issued ahead of a massive rainfall event expected to impact coastal areas between Cairns and Townsville in the coming days. NEED-TO-KNOW FLOOD INFO
Named: FNQ’s best mullet winner
A Tablelands toddler has been crowned FNQ’s best mullet winner, growing out his locks in a touching tribute to his late dad. His story, here.