Crime Archives - Forest Lake News

Police Appeal for Dashcam Footage After Fatal Boxing Day Collision on Logan Motorway

Photo Credit: myPolice Queensland Police News

Police are calling on motorists to come forward with dashcam footage following a fatal collision on the Logan Motorway at Forest Lake on Boxing Day morning.

The crash occurred around 11.55am on Thursday in the westbound lanes of the motorway, when a white Kia Cerato collided with a blue Kia Cerato that had stopped in an emergency bay.

According to Queensland Police Service, the driver of the blue vehicle — a 78-year-old man from Wilsonton — had been standing outside his car when the collision occurred. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The driver of the white Kia, a 33-year-old woman from Cleveland, was not physically injured in the crash. Police confirmed she is cooperating with investigators.

Authorities are particularly interested in obtaining dashcam vision from anyone who witnessed the incident or observed either vehicle in the lead-up to the crash.

The tragedy marks another Boxing Day fatality on Queensland roads, adding to ongoing concerns about motorway safety during the busy holiday period.

The investigation remains ongoing, with the Forensic Crash Unit examining the circumstances surrounding the collision.

Anyone with information or relevant footage is urged to contact Policelink at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or by calling 131 444. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au, quoting reference number QP2502367924.

Published 26-December-2025

Man Sentenced After Devastating High-Speed Forest Lake Crash

Photo Credit: Google Maps

A man has been sentenced to jail after causing a devastating crash in Forest Lake last year while driving under the influence of cocaine and alcohol at extreme speeds.

Jacobus Devon Vanderkruk, 28, received a five-year jail sentence with suspension after 18 months when he appeared in Brisbane’s District Court on Thursday, 27 November. He was also disqualified from driving for five years.

The court heard Vanderkruk had been at a party when he offered to drive a friend’s Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG coupe to a bottle shop, taking three passengers with him.

Despite having consumed cocaine and alcohol, Vanderkruk drove at speeds between 120 km/h and 150 km/h along streets with 60 km/h speed limits. His frightened passengers asked him to slow down before the collision occurred.

The Mercedes collided with a Toyota LandCruiser being driven by a 52-year-old woman who was returning home. The impact was so severe that the Mercedes engine was torn from the vehicle’s chassis.

Four people sustained serious injuries in the crash. A 20-year-old female passenger lost a kidney, suffered spinal fractures and required partial colon removal. Two male passengers, both 22, sustained severe injuries including a torn lung, fractured ribs and sternum for one, and a broken arm for the other. The LandCruiser driver suffered ankle fractures, lung injuries and other trauma.

The court was told that at least three of the injured parties would have died without surgical intervention.

Vanderkruk tested positive for cocaine and had an estimated blood alcohol content of at least 0.08 at the time of the crash. He also sustained injuries, including a fractured femur, and has developed post-traumatic stress disorder.

Judge David Kent noted that Vanderkruk’s letter of apology was among the best he had seen and accepted that the defendant showed genuine remorse. Vanderkruk pleaded guilty early to charges including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm while intoxicated, excessive speeding, and drink and drug driving.

The judge acknowledged that while Vanderkruk had a poor traffic history, a report indicated he posed a low risk of reoffending if he addressed his alcohol problems.

Published 27-November-2025

Teen Charged After Car Set Alight at Crestmead Hooning Event

Photo Credit: myPolice Queensland Police News

A 17-year-old has been charged with arson following an incident in Crestmead where a vehicle was deliberately set on fire during what police describe as a hooning event.

Officers were called to Magnesium Drive shortly after midnight on Saturday, 5 October, responding to reports of a hoon gathering where a group had assembled and were damaging a Ford Falcon.

Police allege the teenager from Marsden poured flammable liquid onto the vehicle before igniting it and fleeing the scene in a Ford Fiesta.

The 17-year-old was subsequently charged with one count of arson and has been dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Justice Act.

The incident formed part of Operation X-ray Antler, a broader Queensland Police Service initiative targeting dangerous driving and hooning behaviour across South East Queensland during October. The operation ran across four consecutive Saturdays from 4 October through 25 October, focusing on the Moreton, Ipswich, South Brisbane, North Brisbane, Logan and Gold Coast districts.

Authorities have indicated that investigations into the Crestmead incident remain ongoing.

Police continue to urge the community to recognise that road safety is a shared responsibility, with dangerous driving and hooning-related behaviour posing risks not only to those participating but also to innocent members of the public.

Published 29-October-2025

Two Puppies Stolen from Calamvale Property in Brazen Early Morning Theft

Photo Credit: myPolice Queensland Police News

A Calamvale family faced every pet owner’s nightmare this week when two women broke into their Perkins Street home and attempted to steal four Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross puppies.

The incident occurred around 6am on Monday morning when the pair entered the residence and tried to take all four puppies, which were just four weeks old. In a desperate struggle to protect the vulnerable animals, a resident of the home managed to wrestle two of the puppies back from the thieves.

However, the women successfully fled the scene with the remaining two puppies, driving away in a vehicle before police could arrive.

The theft has prompted an urgent appeal from Queensland Police, who are now investigating the case and calling for the safe return of the stolen animals. Police have confirmed they are seeking information about the whereabouts of the two four-week-old Staffy cross puppies.

Authorities are urging anyone with information about the puppies’ location to come forward, emphasising that the young animals can be safely returned to any police station or handed in to a veterinary clinic without questions asked.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns about pet theft in Brisbane’s southern suburbs. Four-week-old puppies are particularly vulnerable as they are still dependent on their mother and require specialised care for proper development.

Community members with any information about this theft are encouraged to contact Policelink online or by calling 131 444. Police stress that even small details could prove crucial in reuniting these puppies with their family.

The Calamvale community has rallied around the affected family, with local residents expressing shock that such a brazen theft could occur in broad daylight in their neighbourhood.

Published 12-August-2025

Doolandella and Inala Residents Among Five Charged in Major Drug Lab Bust

Queensland Police have uncovered an alleged commercial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in Logan, charging five people including residents from Doolandella and Inala in connection with the operation.

Read: Forest Lake Residents Step Up Efforts to Save Endangered Black Swan Cygnets

Major drug operation uncovered

During a raid on Tuesday, 22 October, detectives from the Drug and Serious Crime Group executed a search warrant at a Park Ridge property as part of Operation Whiskey Vivid. The operation, conducted jointly by Queensland Police Service (QPS) and Australian Border Force (ABF), revealed what police allege to be a sophisticated drug manufacturing facility.

Police report seizing approximately two kilograms of crystallised methylamphetamine (‘ice’) and five litres of methylamphetamine oil from the property. The raid also uncovered three firearms, including a semi-automatic rifle and two handguns, along with a substantial amount of cash.

Doolandella and Inala residents implicated

Among those charged are a 42-year-old man from Doolandella and a 32-year-old man from Inala. Both face multiple charges including producing dangerous drugs, possessing dangerous drugs, and possession of property suspected of being used in connection with drug offences.

clandestine drug laboratory — Photo Credit: Youtube/QueenslandPolice

Three other individuals have also been charged: a Park Ridge couple, both aged 31, and a 32-year-old man from South Ripley.

A second raid at a Rocklea business premises yielded additional evidence, including cash, a cash counting machine, and ammunition. Police allege the group was coordinating the production and distribution of illegal drugs both within Queensland and interstate.

Detective Inspector Bradley Phelps from the Drug and Serious Crime Group emphasises the potential impact of the operation. “A clandestine lab of this scale can produce significant quantities of methylamphetamine which has the potential to cause untold community harm,” he says.

Read: Eastern Brown Snake Sends Shivers Through Forest Lake Community

The Synthetic Drug Operations Unit has been deployed to safely process and dismantle the laboratory. All five suspects are scheduled to appear before Beenleigh Magistrates Court, as investigations continue.

Police encourage anyone with information about drug production or distribution to contact Crime Stoppers online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au or via 1800 333 000.

Published 29-October-2024

Robbery at Joseph Banks Massage Parlour Caught on CCTV

Photo Credit: myPolice South Brisbane

Forest Lake residents are on high alert following a brazen armed robbery at a local massage parlour on Joseph Banks Avenue. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, August 10, was captured on CCTV, revealing a disturbing scene that has prompted an urgent police investigation.

According to the Acacia Ridge Criminal Investigation Branch, the robbery took place just before 7:15 PM when a man entered the massage parlour wearing a black face covering and armed with a sawn-off shotgun. The footage shows the suspect brandishing the weapon at a staff member while demanding money.

The employee complied with the robber’s demands, and fortunately, no physical harm was reported. The suspect, described as wearing a hoodie and thongs, fled the scene on foot immediately after the incident.

This incident follows another armed robbery at a 7-Eleven on Sumners Road at Centenary Place on August 13. While police do not believe the two cases are linked, they are treating both with equal seriousness.

Police have released the CCTV footage in hopes that someone might recognize the suspect or provide additional information. They are particularly interested in any dashcam footage from the area on the night of August 10.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444.

Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au.

Quote this reference number: QP2401359620

Published 26-August-2024

Turning the Screws on Crime with Forest Lake Men’s Shed’s New Event

A collaborative event between the police and members of the local Men’s Shed at Forest Lake, appropriately titled “Turning the Screws on Crime”, led to a total of 92 number plates being changed and secured with one-way screws.

Members and volunteers from the South Brisbane District Crime Prevention Unit worked alongside handymen from the Men’s Shed at Forest Lake on the 13th of February to secure a series of automobile number plates with one-way screws to prevent theft.

*Members of Forest Lake Men’s Shed* posing with handmade possum and bat boxes.
*Photo credit: Supplied*

“Turning the Screws on Crime” ran for a total of three hours, with 92 turnups all in all. Members of the Men’s Shed, in tandem with the police, worked hard under the sun to guarantee the safety of the Forest Lake populace. Fortunately, the event came with free food, as well as free coffee supplied by a coffee van from Cafe2U.

Cafe2U coffee van supplying attendants and volunteers
Photo credit: Facebook

What makes license plates a prime target for thieves is the fact that offenders can attach stolen plates to stolen cars, allowing them to drive through tolls, evade fines, and speed away after committing other crimes such as petrol drive-offs without being caught. All fines and offences will be traced to the victim, causing them a great deal of grief and difficulty.

With the installation of one-way screws, thieves are greatly deterred for they’ll have a significantly more difficult time trying to steal license plates from vehicles. With the event’s sizable turn-out, coupled with the presence of the police, many would-be offenders in Forest Lake would think twice.