Higgins man allegedly busted selling stolen car for scrap

A Higgins man has been accused of car-related crimes. Photo: Michelle Kroll.

A Higgins man has faced the ACT Magistrates Court yesterday (7 September) accused of a number of car-related thefts and trying to sell a vehicle for scrap.

A Ford Ranger ute was stolen from a Gundaroo home at about 3:45 am on Saturday, 13 August, while police received reports of number plates being stolen from vehicles at a residence in Dunlop a few days later.

Police said the ute was later seen pulling into a Charnwood service station where the passenger filled up the tank with fuel before the driver allegedly left without paying.

Then a Subaru Forester was stolen from a Coombs home at about 6:40 am on Monday (5 September).

There was a break in the investigations on Tuesday (6 September) when officers conducting routine patrols spotted both the Ranger and Forester leaving a Yarralumla residence.

Police followed both vehicles to a metal scrap yard, where they saw a man allegedly sell the Subaru Forester for scrap before he left in the Ford Ranger.

The man and his female passenger were arrested a short time later while they were at a Mitchell takeaway store.

The 30-year-old man was charged with two counts of driving a motor vehicle without consent, two counts of number plates being issued to another vehicle, and single counts of driving while disqualified, obtaining financial advantage by deception and theft.

The woman was charged with one count of ride/drive a motor vehicle without consent, and was given police bail to attend court at a later date.

The pair were arrested by officers attached to Operation Toric, which has made 33 arrests and laid 115 charges since the operation began in August. It has been formed to target recidivist motor vehicle offenders in the ACT.

Police have again urged Canberrans to secure both their homes and vehicles, as a majority of car thefts in the ACT were done with the vehicle’s key.

You can also secure your number plates with tamper-proof screws which were available for free from all police stations.