Inside hoarder’s shack arrest of fugitive Graham Potter

Police have revealed how they knew they had caught Australia’s most wanted man, Graham Potter, hiding in a hoarder’s shack in Far North Queensland.

Detectives used a biometric live scanning machine to confirm they had Australia’s most wanted man after he claimed to be someone else.

Graham Gene Potter was discovered in a hoarder’s shack at Ravenshoe yesterday morning where he was arrested at gunpoint after 12 years on the run.

Detective Inspector Kevin Goan revealed police had been to the shack previously looking for Potter but had “no cause” for further searches.

Graham Gene Potter was discovered in a hoarder’s shack in Far North Queensland after 12 years on the run.

He said Potter gave the name Josh Lawson after he was arrested but they were able to ascertain his identity by way of a biometric testing livescan machine.

“Police from the Atherton tablelands and Mareeba CIB have received credible information that a person fitting Potter’s description was located at the residence,” Det Insp Goan said.

“Following some investigations, there was sufficient information for police to gain entry and affect the arrest of Potter.

Detective Inspector Kevin Goan. Picture: Brendan Radke

“The person in question has provided false details to police. He’s been taken into custody and transported through to Mareeba, whereby through biometric examination, his identity was confirmed.

“When approached by police he gave a pseudonym of Josh Lawson – that’s the only details he would provide.

“And of course, the detectives have been involved for a number of years. They had reason to affect his arrest, bring him into custody, do the biometric testing through the live scan machine and then confirm via those biometrics that Josh Lawson was in fact Graham Gene Potter.”

Police arrest Graham Gene Potter, 64, on Monday.

He said detectives from Victoria were on their way to Far North Queensland to organise Potter’s extradition to his home state.

Det Insp Goan said police had investigated a number of sightings in the Ravenshoe and Cassowary Coast areas over the past 10 years following tips from members of the public.

“The detectives were advised that a person fitting Potter’s description could possibly be in attendance at the residence at Ravenshoe,” he said.

“They’ve attended that address and what has unfolded I’ve spoken about already.

“There’s a body of work to be done when the Victorian detectives get here to ascertain if there will be charges preferred against any other person who may have been harbouring Potter while he was in Queensland.”

Det Insp Goan said a woman who had been residing at the address was not in police custody.

“We believe that (Potter) has been in the area for the last 12 years at least. His last credible sighting was in Tully in 2010. He avoided capture at that time,” he said.

“He’s certainly been keeping a low profile but he has assimilated at some points within the community with other members of the community.”

Det Insp said there had been a number of sightings over the last decade and police had investigated each one.

“On this occasion, we were obviously successful in his capture and that’s a credit to the detectives, the general duties guys and the police dog squad who were in attendance to take him into custody in a manner that was safe to him, safe to the public and also safe to the police that were in attendance.”

He said the dog squad had been used because Potter had fled when police found him previously.

“Well, certainly we know that he’s taken to flight on previous occasions when he was approached by police – and of course if he can outrun one of those German Shepherds, good luck to him.

“Certainly it was a measure to prohibit him from getting away.”

Graham Gene Potter is arrested in Ravenshoe.

Det Insp Goan said detectives from Queensland and Victoria would now work together to backtrack Potter’s movements over “at least the last decade” to determine who helped him hide and “whether or not there is any criminal offences that have been committed that can be prosecuted”.

“We’ve had information over a number of years that he may have been frequenting that residence,” he said.

“As I say, police have attended there previously and had no cause to further any search of the residence.

“Our approach on this occasion was different and the credible information that came through to investigators was sufficient. for them to gain lawful entry to the premises and once that entry was gained they (took him into custody).”

Det Insp Goan said Potter had been more co-operative once police confirmed his identity through the fingerprint scanner.

“I can say that he is a personable fellow,” he said.

“He is happy to speak with us in relation to any number of issues but certainly we’ve had no issues, there’s been no acts of violence or any other issues that warrant concern by us or would warrant concern by the detectives who are travelling to speak with him.”

Originally published as Inside hoarder’s shack arrest of fugitive Graham Potter