COFFS HARBOUR: Man Charged After Police Intercept Stolen Ute Speeding Along Highway

Police have arrested a man after detecting an alleged stolen vehicle with stolen plates.

About 6:30am on Monday, the black Holden Commodore was stolen from a residence on the Coffs Coast.

The vehicle and driver were later identified at a Service Station in Boambee after filling up the ute with fuel before leaving and failing to pay.

A short time later, Traffic and Highway Patrol Officers from Coffs Clarence were conducting stationary speed enforcement duties on the Pacific Highway at Raleigh when the Commodore was detected at 136km/h in a signposted 110km/h zone.

According to Police, no other vehicles were on the highway in the area at the time.

Police followed the Commodore, stopping it near the intersection of the Waterfall Way. The vehicle was approached and the driver, a 31 year old male from Coffs Harbour was spoken to.

At this time officers identified that the vehicle had stolen Queensland number plates. It also appeared that the vehicle had been started by manipulating the ignition barrel.

Police located a knife on the driver. As a result the driver was arrested and returned to the Coffs Harbour Police Station.

Further check revealed the man was disqualified from driving between October 2019 until March 2025.

The Commodore had been stolen last week from an address in Toormina, while the number plates on the vehicle had been stolen from a separate vehicle in Toormina the previous week.

When asked why the driver was absent from his residence and driving around, contrary to the Ministerial Order currently in existance for the COVID19, he told Police, "I don't know where I was going."

As a result, the man was charged with a range of offences:

• Larceny
• Drive Motor Vehicle during period of Disqualification (2nd Offence)
• Illegal Use Motor Vehicle
• Custody Knife in Public Place
• Unauthorised plates
• 2 Penalty Notices for Exceed Speed Limit (>20kmh) - $481 and 4pts (x2)
• Breach Ministerial Order (COVID19) - $1000

The Coffs Harbour man was granted bail with strict daily reporting conditions, to appear at the Coffs Harbour Local Court on the 27 April 2020.