Townsville police have established a taskforce to investigate a string of serious criminal offences that were committed across the city this morning, Queensland Police say.
Last night, vehicles were stolen from homes in Wheeler Circuit in Kirwan and Bergin Road in Cranbrook and have then been used by a group of young people to commit offences including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and armed robberies.
Around 6am, a stolen car was filled up with petrol at a service station on Bayswater Road in Mount Louisa and sped off without paying.
Then around 6.30am, a woman was threatened with a knife and a man attempted to steal her car in the outside a grocery store on Bamford Lane in Kirwan.
Around 7.15am, a man had his car keys stolen while he was at the Long Tan Pool on Lindeman Avenue in Heatley. While returning home to get his spare keys, the group returned to the pool and stole his car.
The car was later located damaged on John Melton Drive in Garbutt.
Around 7.30am, two people exited a vehicle on Carthew Street in Thuringowa Central and approached a child and threatened him with a knife. A person driving behind them sounded their horn and scared them off.
Over a short period of time, a girl was then threatened with a knife outside a high school on Hudson Street and had her mobile phone stolen, the same happened to a woman walking along Alfred Street and to a girl in a shopping centre car park on Hervey Range Road.
The taskforce comprising of Townsville Detectives, Rapid Action and Patrol Group, general duties officers, Tactical Crime Squad and the Dog Squad is working to identify and arrest those responsible.
Anyone who saw a red 2007 Holden Commodore with Queensland registration 171LKO, a red Mazda B2600 utility with Queensland registration 805IQT or a silver 2004 Hydundai Elantra with Queensland registration 492HXK this morning is urged to contact police.
Police are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who may have dash cam vision of the vehicles.
In addition, anyone who has any further information about these incidents or knows of the whereabouts of anyone involved is urged to come forward.
A 15-year-old boy is currently in custody and is assisting police with their enquiries in relation to these incidents.
https://livestream.com/queenslandpolice/events/8244717/videos/176342354
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.
