Eight arrested after Queensland Police car stolen from side of Bruce Highway
Eight people were arrested after a police car was stolen from the side of the Bruce Highway in north Queensland when police stopped two other cars they had allegedly stolen earlier in the day.
The unmarked police vehicle was empty and parked on the side of the highway at Alligator Creek, south-east of Townsville, while officers deployed a tire deflation device nearby at around 11am on Monday morning.
“An unknown number of criminals entered the police vehicle and drove it away,” police said in a statement to the press.
The police car was chased through Townsville and found abandoned in the suburb of Aitkenvale at around 12.30pm, with no items reported missing.
Four other cars were reported stolen on Monday and linked to the same group of criminals.
A blue Ford Ranger and a gray BMW were found near Alligator Creek.
An orange 2025 LDV T60 vehicle was later located in Jerona and a white 2021 MG was stopped in Shirbourne.
Locals posted videos and photos on Facebook as police pursued the group through rural areas south of Townsville.
Police said a 19-year-old man, an 18-year-old woman and six children were taken into custody.
Senior Townsville district officers were to review the circumstances of the police vehicle theft.
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