Man faces 32 charges for multiple offences

A 35-year-old Scullin man will face the ACT Magistrates Court today (Friday, 22 September 2023) after he was charged with 32 driving and theft offences. 

After an extensive investigation, ACT Policing officers arrested the man – who was subject to an Intensive Corrections Order at the time of his offending – yesterday (Thursday, 21 September 2023) after a series of incidents across Canberra over the past month. 

The most recent of these offences was on Sunday, 17 September when police observed the man in a stolen Subaru XV parked in the car park of Bunnings Belconnen. 

The officers attempted to apprehend the driver, however police will allege he released the vehicle’s handbrake, nearly pinning a police officer between two vehicles. The vehicle then struck another stationary car, before exiting the car park at speed.

This follows a series of alleged incidents dating back to August, including stealing the Subaru in Ngunnawal on 5 August, failing to stop for police four days later, and a report of another stolen vehicle from Fadden in early September. 

That vehicle was captured a few days later in Charnwood, however the man again failed to stop for police before crossing onto the wrong side of the road and accelerating heavily.  Due to public safety concerns, police did not pursue this vehicle. Police will allege the man again failed to stop for police the day after. 

While that vehicle was eventually located in Tharwa, the man was then spotted in the original Subaru on Friday last week (15 September), again driving at dangerous speeds before the incident in Belconnen on Sunday. 

The man has been charged with several offences, including six counts of driving while disqualified, five counts of unlawfully possessing stolen property, four counts of aggravated furious driving, four counts of driving a motor vehicle without consent, three counts of failing to stop for police, and one count of drive motor vehicle at police. In total, he has been charged with 32 offences. 

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POLICE MEDIA — (02) 5126 9070,  act-police-media@afp.gov.au