Detectives from Townsville's Child Protection and Investigation Unit have charged four teenagers with multiple offences including armed robbery, burglary and evade police following several alleged incidents which occurred from Mareeba to Townsville.
Police will allege an house in Abbott Street at Mareeba was broken into on the evening of January 23 and personal property and a Kia Rio were stolen.
It will be further alleged the vehicle was involved in a petrol drive off at a Mareeba service station, and an evade police offence on Townsville Road, Ingham.
Around 3am this morning the stolen vehicle was stationary on the Bruce Highway at Rollingstone when a car being driven by a 47-year-old woman and her 19-year-old female passenger approached. As they slowed down to pass the vehicle, police will allege two males exited the stolen vehicle, produced a firearm each and directed the woman to stop.
The woman stopped temporarily however when one of the men lent in through the driver's side window and grabbed the steering wheel she accelerated and sped off.
Neither of the women were physically injured.
Around 3.30am a 33-year-old man sleeping in his vehicle was awoken by banging on his door by a male allegedly armed with a rifle.
The man opened the driver's side door and was allegedly struck in the chest by the firearm before he managed to get out of the car and run off.
Two unknown males then allegedly fled from the service station in the man's 4WD.
The man sustained grazing to his knee and elbow.
The stolen Kia Rio was subsequently located at the same Rollingstone service station.
The 4WD was driven until it ran out of fuel was located at 6.30am on the Bruce Highway at Rollinstone.
Around 6am this morning a Mazda 2 was allegedly stolen from a John Brewer Drive, Bluewater address.
This vehicle was located around 8am abandoned in Riverview Street, Hermit Park.
Police arrested two Mareeba teenagers, aged 16 and 17, soon after in the nearby vicinity.
As a result of police investigations two other teenagers, a 16-year-old girl from Kuranda and a 17-year-old boy from Mareeba were also arrested.
A 16-year-old boy from Mareeba has been charged with 17 offences including armed robbery in company, attempted armed robbery and threatening actual violence, possession of a knife in a public place, evade police, unlawful possession of suspected stolen property, wilful damage, burglary, stealing, unlicensed driving, and four counts of enter premises with intent to commit an indictable offence and three charges of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
A 17-year-old Mareeba boy has been charged with 12 offences including four counts of enter premises with intent, three of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, two of burglary and commit an indictable offence and one count each of stealing, attempted armed robbery using personal violence and armed robbery in company.
A 16-year-old Kuranda girl has been charged with four counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and one of stealing.
A 16-year-old Mareeba boy has been charged with 14 offences including four counts of enter premises with intent, three counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, two of burglary and commit an indictable offence and one count each of armed robbery in company, attempted armed robbery threatening personal violence, stealing, evade police and unlicensed driving.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
Quote this reference number: QP1900163664
