ACT Policing officers were forced to use a tyre deflation device to bring a dangerous pursuit to an end, after a man allegedly stole a luxury vehicle and attempted to flee through suburban Canberra streets.
Alleged theft and pursuit through suburbs
The incident began on Thursday morning, when police allege a 25-year-old man from Aranda stole a white 2020 Land Rover Discovery from a home in Gungahlin. The vehicle bore ACT registration plate YQC 20W.
Around 10am, officers received information that the allegedly stolen SUV was in the suburb of Macquarie. Police located the vehicle and attempted to pull it over, but the driver ignored their signals and continued driving.
Tyre deflator deployed to end dangerous driving
With the driver making no attempt to stop and allegedly weaving through traffic at speed, a police team decided to deploy a tyre deflation device. The device successfully deflated the SUV's front left tyre.
Police followed the damaged vehicle until the driver eventually pulled over and surrendered. The man was then taken into custody without further incident.
Driver faces serious charges
Upon arrest, the driver underwent a drug screening test, which police allege returned a positive result. Further checks revealed the 25-year-old man had never held a valid driver's licence.
He was transported to the ACT Watch House and is expected to face the ACT Magistrates Court on Friday. The charges laid against him include:
- Driving a motor vehicle without consent
- Aggravated dangerous driving
- Failure to stop a motor vehicle for police
- Driving as an unlicenced driver (never held a licence)
- Driving with a prescribed drug in oral fluid
ACT Police are urging any witnesses or motorists with dashcam footage of the stolen Land Rover from Thursday morning to come forward. They are asked to contact Crime Stoppers via the Crime Stoppers ACT website and quote reference number 8235661.
