Police have denied bail to a man who allegedly stole two cars on Saturday (December, 2), driving the first into the Rous River, escaping while it was sinking, stealing another and crashing it into an irrigation channel.
About 9am a 24-year-old male was allegedly driving a stolen Queensland Holden Astra on Dulguigan Road, Dulguigan, when he lost control and the vehicle plunged into the Rous River.
The driver and a female occupant managed to free themselves from the sinking vehicle.
The driver then went to an adjacent property where he allegedly stole Holden Rodeo utility.
But he was equally unable to maintain control of the ute, which crashed into an irrigation channel.
He fled on foot along Dulguigan Road before being arrested by police.
A multi-agency search was set up to search for the exact location of the submerged Holden Astra the Rous River.
About 2pm, an SES officer in a boat located the vehicle in the river some distance from where it entered.
Following the joint efforts of police, SES crews, NSW Fire and Rescue crews, a civilian’s tractor and two tow truck operators the stolen Holden was retrieved.
Police searched the vehicle and allegedly discovered multiple sets of number plates, breaking and entering implements, drug paraphernalia and items linking the car with other stolen vehicles in the area.
The driver was charged with multiple offences, including: entering enclosed lands, driving while unlicensed, receiving stolen property, negligent driving, goods in custody, possessing implements to enter/drive a vehicle, and taking and driving a vehicle without consent.
An additional charge was submitted seeking a bail determination be made with respect to the matters the accused was on bail for at the time of these offences. The accused was formally refused bail for the new offences.
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