Community & Business
13 January, 2022
Locals urged to secure vehicles
OWNERS are being urged to take steps to protect their vehicles following a number of car thefts on the Tablelands by opportunistic offenders.
Police are urging people to secure their vehicles after one car was stolen at Mt Garnet on 2 January, two stolen on 4 January from Mareeba, and a golf buggy taken from the town’s golf club on 5 January.
The Mt Garnet theft involved a Toyota LandCruiser stolen from Rutile Street, Mount Garnet, where it had been secured behind a locked gate at a business location.
The vehicle is a white 2006 utility with a 1000L stainless steel fuel tank on the rear, bearing Queensland registration 442XGX.
Around 8pm on 4 January, a resident in Beames Street, Mareeba returned home and parked his Toyota LandCruiser across the road.
The resident entered his home briefly to collect an item and returned to see his vehicle being driven away.
The owner’s wallet and personal effects were still in the car. Police located the LandCruiser the following day, abandoned in bushland undamaged near Granite Creek.
In a separate incident around the same time, thieves drove off in a Ford Falcon XR6 from Haren Street, Mareeba after residents left the keys in the car.
Offenders committed several offences in the vehicle including dangerous driving and a fuel drive-off. Residents only became aware of the incident after being awoken by officers just before 7am.
The car was located abandoned and in a damaged state January 5. Around 11pm on that day, opportunistic thieves stole a golf buggy from Kenneally Road, Mareeba.
A witness observed the buggy just after 4am being driven dangerously around the streets.
The golf buggy was located the following day in long grass behind Rotary Park.
