Man charged after stolen car hauling stolen vegetables catches fire on motorway

A Queensland man has been charged after police made a wild discovery inside an allegedly stolen car that caught fire on the M1.

An alleged veggie bandit hauling a boot-load of ill-gotten sweet potatoes and other fresh food has been charged after the allegedly stolen car caught fire on the M1 at the Gold Coast on Monday night.

Queensland Police said officers spotted the 2009 Ford Focus bearing false registration plates driving dangerously in the northbound lanes of the Pacific Motorway at Robina at about 10.20pm.

The Ford Focus was spotted driving dangerously on the M1 before catching fire. Picture: Queensland Police

The car began shedding debris from under the engine bay before catching fire.

The driver pulled over around the Gooding Drive exit where he was taken into custody and officers used a fire-extinguisher to put out the flames. No one was injured during the incident.

The goods were allegedly stolen from a fresh-food grocer at Robina. Picture: Queensland Police

“A subsequent search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered a significant quantity of sweet potatoes, potatoes, wraps and almond milk, which had been stolen from a fresh-food grocer at Robina shortly beforehand,” Queensland Police said in a statement on Tuesday.

The car had been reported stolen from Mayfair Place at Stretton, in Brisbane’s south, in the early hours of May 27.

The driver, a 36-year-old from Chambers Flat in Logan, south of Brisbane, has now been charged with three counts of stealing, two counts of fraud and one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, disqualified driving, drink driving, attaching false plates and possessing tainted property.

He was issued a notice to appear at the Southport Magistrates Court.

Originally published as Man charged after stolen car hauling stolen vegetables catches fire on motorway