A man and two teenage boys will appear in court today charged with traffic and property offences following a slow but highly publicised cross-border pursuit by NSW Police in the state’s north yesterday.
Police say that at around 12.20pm on Thursday, officers attached to Tweed-Bryon Police District commenced a pursuit of a stolen Mercedes SUV after it crossed the border from Queensland and allegedly failed to stop when directed to by police.
Police were forced to undertake a slow speed pursuit of the vehicle due to safety concerns over one of the car’s occupants, who was seen hanging out of the Mercedes’ open sunroof.
The car’s occupants live-streamed the incident on social media, with passing motorists also uploading footage of the slow pursuit online, causing the pursuit to go viral within hours.
“Road spikes were deployed at the Cudgen Road Tunnel, near Tweed Valley Way, before the vehicle stopped on the M1 Motorway at Cudgera Creek,” NSW Police said in a statement this morning.
“Three males from Queensland – aged 28, 17 and 16 – were arrested at the scene and several items were seized from the vehicle including two swords, a knife, tomahawk, cannabis, and cash.”
They were taken to Tweed Heads Police Station where the 17-year-old driver was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, drive motor vehicle while licence suspended, two counts of receive property stolen outside NSW and possess prohibited drug.
The 16-year-old passenger was charged with receive property stolen outside NSW, use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention, and travel in/on part of vehicle not for passengers/goods.
The 28-year-old passenger was charged with two counts of receive property stolen outside NSW.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said that just before 9.30am yesterday, Queensland officers were called to a residence south of Brisbane in relation to a break-in and the theft of a Mercedes SUV.
The homeowner told 9 News he chased two offenders – one of whom he said was armed with a machete.
All three were refused bail, with the teenagers to appear before a children’s court and the man to appear before Tweed Heads Local Court today.
