Smithfield man charged after stolen tip truck rampage from Mount Peter to Tolga

A 35-year-old Smithfield man has been charged with 18 offences after a stolen tip truck allegedly collided with several vehicles across the Tablelands overnight, before a stolen Toyota Hilux rolled off the Kennedy Highway at Tolga. Police are appealing for public help.

Tablelands Property Crime Unit officers say the man was arrested on 11 November. It will be alleged that between 5.30pm and 11pm he stole a tip truck from a business on the Bruce Highway at Mount Peter.

Police allege the truck repeatedly hit a Rav4 stopped at traffic lights on Gillies Range Road at 11.30pm before fleeing up the range. Around midnight, officers tried to intercept it near Lake Barrine, but it allegedly evaded them. Around 12.10am, it allegedly hit a parked Nissan Navara on Gillies Range Road at Yungaburra. At about 12.30am it allegedly collided with a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross on Main Street, Atherton, and fled. No one was physically injured in the collisions.

Around 1am, the truck was allegedly used to force entry to a Wongabel Road property, where a Toyota Hilux was stolen. About 2.15am, police were called after the Hilux left the road and rolled off the Kennedy Highway at the Rocky Creek Bridge, Tolga. The man was taken to hospital and arrested there. Police have recovered both vehicles.

He was charged with 18 offences, including four counts of enter premises and commit and fail to comply with duties of a driver in a crash, three counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, drive without a driver's licence, and one count each of wilful damage, evasion, and drive without due care and attention. He was refused police bail and is due to appear in the Atherton Magistrates Court today, 12 November.

Investigations are continuing. Police are urging anyone who saw the tip truck between Gordonvale and Atherton, or the Hilux crash at Rocky Creek Bridge, Tolga, around 2am, or who has dashcam or CCTV vision, to come forward.

Quote reference numbers QP2602226260, QP2602228591, QP2602228382, QP2602226133, QP2602229434 and QP2602226583. Information can be given to Policelink 24 hours a day through the online suspicious activity form on the Policelink website. Anonymous reports can be made to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the Crime Stoppers Queensland website.