A 40-year-old man has been charged following an investigation into traffic and firearm offences linked to an incident last month.
Around 8 AM on Thursday, 13 February 2024, police attempted to stop a stolen blue Ford Falcon on The Bucketts Way at Booral. The vehicle had been reported stolen from Queensland, and the driver had allegedly failed to pay for fuel at a service station in Walcha earlier that day.
When the driver failed to stop, police initiated a pursuit, which continued to a rest stop at Twelve Mile Creek. The suspect then abandoned the vehicle and fled into nearby bushland. Despite an extensive search involving the Dog Unit and PolAir, he was not located at the time.
A search of the vehicle allegedly uncovered a firearm.
Following further investigations, detectives arrested the man at Fassifern Train Station around 2:40 PM on Thursday, 27 February 2025. He was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with seven offences, including:
- Two counts of police pursuit – not stop – drive at speed
- Dishonestly obtain property by deception
- Use, supply, acquire, or possess a stolen firearm or firearm part
- Possess ammunition without a licence/permit/authority
- Possess unauthorised firearm
- Failing to store a firearm safely
The man was refused bail and appeared in Toronto Local Court on Friday, 28 February 2025, where he was formally refused bail again. He is set to appear before Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday, 10 March 2025.