35-year-old man charged after stolen vehicle slams into Crace home

ACT Policing have identified and located the alleged offenders of a stolen vehicle that crashed into a home in Canberra's north.

At about 8pm Wednesday (3 April 2024), a stolen Mercedes Benz sedan collided with the front of a home in Drooka Crescent, Crace.

ACT Emergency Services responded a short time later to find a car in the front yard of the home with damage to the front of the home.

While the house suffered damage, no occupants received physical injuries.

A man and a woman were observed fleeing the vehicle immediately after the collision. People inside the home at the time of the collision were not physically injured.  

An ACT Policing spokesperson said witnesses followed the man and woman, with some recording the man on their mobile phones as he ran away. Bags that had allegedly been carried by the man were located on nearby rooftops by police and were found to contain approximately $10,000 in cash, a small quality of illicit substances and a ‘taser’. 

About 9.00pm the same night, the man allegedly entered a home in Cocopara Crescent in Crace, where he entered the kitchen and demanded car keys and a phone from a resident. The resident complied with his demands and the man left in an orange Ford Fiesta. Soon after, police observed the Ford driving at excessive speed through the intersection of Barton Highway and Gundaroo drive. 

Based on information obtained by police, a 35-year-old man and 33-year-old woman were identified and efforts were made to locate the pair.  

The stolen Ford Fiesta was located by police in Flynn on the evening of Thursday, 4 April 2024.  

The man and woman were subsequently located yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, 9 April 2024) in a hotel in Braddon by Operation TORIC members. Both were arrested, with the man allegedly found in possession of approximately $8900 in cash, approximately 8.6 grams of heroin and approximately 25 grams of methamphetamine. 

A green Holden Commodore was also seized at the scene for further forensic analysis.  

The 35-year-old man of no fixed address was charged with multiple offences including two counts of driving a stolen motor vehicle, two counts of dangerous driving, two counts of damage property, trafficking in an illicit substance, burglary, theft, taking motor vehicle without consent, driving while disqualified, possessing an offensive weapon, and resisting a territory official. 

The 33-year-old Mawson woman was charged with riding in a stolen motor vehicle.  

The man and woman are expected to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court, where bail will be opposed.