Two arrested after brazen car theft in broad daylight

Dramatic footage has revealed the brazen car theft and dramatic arrest of two people in Far North Queensland. Watch the video.

Dramatic footage has revealed the brazen car theft and arrest of two people in the Tablelands on Sunday.

Two males, aged 18 and 16, were arrested and charged after a BMW model X6 was stolen in broad daylight from Mobil Mareeba service station yesterday afternoon.

Dashcam footage from another car at the service station shows two men snuck up to the BMW as the driver pumped up his tyres, before speeding away on the footpath.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said the thieves fled in the stolen car with the owner jumping back in side.

“Two people were taken into custody following a stolen vehicle incident that occurred at Mareeba this afternoon, March 2,” a police spokesman said.

“Preliminary investigations indicate around 3pm, a man was putting air in the tyres of a white BMW X6 station wagon at a service station on Byrnes Street when two males approached, entered his vehicle, and then drove away.

“The vehicle owner remained in the vehicle for a short time before he jumped out.”

It is understood the men drove the stolen vehicle across the Tablelands before being apprehended on Granite Creek Bridge at approximately 5.50pm.

Footage of the arrest showed one police officer breaking through the BMW’s driver seat window with officers yelling at the two men: “get on the ground, get on the f***ing ground”.

At least seven police cars, police dogs and a number of police officers were involved in the arrest which came just hours after hundreds of community members gathered along the Cairns Esplanade to rally against escalating crime in the region.

The 18-year-old Mareeba man was charged with three counts of wilful damage of police property, two counts of breach of bail condition, and one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, assaults occasioning bodily harm, dangerous operation of a vehicle, and obstructing a police officer.

The 16-year-old Mareeba boy was charged with two counts of breach of bail, and one count each of obstructing a police officer and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

The pair have been refused bail and will appear before the Mareeba Magistrates and Mareeba Children’s Court today.

Since January 1, over 158 cars have been stolen across the greater Cairns region.

Originally published as Two arrested after brazen car theft in broad daylight