Cairns police have charged a man with armed robbery and dangerous driving after a 70-year-old man allegedly had his car stolen at Palm Cove this morning.
Police will allege at around 7.45am the 70-year-old was confronted by an armed man in an Amphora Street car park, with the man fleeing in the victim's 4WD.
Over the next several hours the vehicle was sighted by police and members of the public in various locations in and around Cairns allegedly at times disobeying traffic signals, on the wrong side of the road and on the footpath.
Around midday police successfully deployed a tyre deflation device in Castlereagh Street, Edmonton with the vehicle driving out of the street and onto the Bruce Highway, where it slowed down a short time later, and the male driver and sole occupant of the stolen 4WD, jumped out.
Following a brief foot pursuit, the man was arrested. He has been taken to the Cairns Watch house where he has been denied police bail and is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court tomorrow charged with one count each of armed robbery, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed and disqualified driving and obstruct police.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
