Overview
- Police have charged nine people over a Townsville car-theft spree on Monday, with two boys arrested Tuesday and most accused refused bail ahead of court.
- Police say suspects jumped into an unmarked police car as officers laid tyre spikes on the Bruce Highway, and the vehicle was found abandoned about 90 minutes later in Aitkenvale.
- Three officers were taken to Townsville University Hospital with minor injuries from the incident and later released.
- Investigators intercepted other stolen vehicles across long distances, locating cars as far south as Shirbourne and Jerona and arresting suspects on the Bruce Highway and at Shirbourne.
- In a separate Cairns case over Easter, boys aged 15 and 13 were charged after a Mazda BT-50 was stolen from a Redlynch garage, and police released bodycam video of the 15-year-old’s arrest.