ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Authorities suspect a gang of local can collectors is responsible for a brazen recycling truck heist that erupted into a full-scale running battle through the heart of Betoota’s French Quarter this morning.
Witnesses say the ambush unfolded with military precision as the unsuspecting truck slowed for a routine pickup on Rue de Branlette. The masked offenders, armed with what police believe to be ex-military L1A1 SLR rifles and Owen submachine guns, emerged from side lanes and storm drains, unleashing a volley of automatic fire that forced the truck’s driver to flee.
The ensuing firefight between the suspects and responding police officers saw Jardin du Putain transformed into a warzone, with stray rounds shattering the windows of several boutique absinthe bars and an independent cigar merchant. Miraculously, despite the sheer volume of gunfire, no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
“We are dealing with a highly organised and extremely determined group of recyclers,” said QPol’s Detective Inspector Clancy Beaumont from the Port de la rivière Diamantina Police Station.
“They knew what they were after, and they weren’t afraid to use firepower to get it.”
After evading roadblocks and the town’s police gyrocopter, the gang successfully made off with the truck, which was later found abandoned in Betoota Heights. Investigators say the vehicle had been meticulously emptied of its valuable aluminium cargo, though an attempt to torch the evidence failed.
As forensic teams comb through the wreckage, police are urging residents to report any suspicious behaviour, particularly individuals seen rolling unusually large hauls of empty cans towards local scrap yards and/or Return N Earn facilities.
More to come.
Queensland Police are urging the public to report any information about this incident through the proper channels—not by tagging mates in a Facebook post.
Anyone with relevant details is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at https://crimestoppersqld.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.
The public is reminded that Facebook comments aren’t monitored for official reports—so if you’ve got something useful, dob them in properly.
