High speeding motorcycle riders arrested in Brisbane by specialist unit

A 22-year-old man police will allege is a prolific high-speed motorcycle rider committing numerous life-endangering offences, including several speeds in excess of 150km/hr in Brisbane’s north, was arrested when an off-duty officer spotted his motorcycle in a hotel carpark.

On January 2 the officer from the Road Policing Investigations Unit (RPIU) observed a motorcycle bearing stolen registration plate “RUNIT” parked at the back of a licensed premises in Alderley.

RPIU officers immediately attended the location and the rider was taken into custody a short time later.

The Road Policing Command’s RPIU is a specialised unit of police who identify and track down prolific and recidivist traffic offenders, whose manner of driving is a clear danger to other road users, as well as themselves.

The RPIU also identifies and locates vehicles and drivers committing serious criminal offences using our road networks, such as drug couriers and property crime offenders.

An extensive investigation conducted by the RPIU, in consultation with local police and intel officers, had been underway into a Suzuki GSXR-600 with stolen plates ‘RUNIT’ that police will allege was involved in more than 50 speeding offences in and around Brisbane between October and December 2019.

When arrested the 22-year-old Stafford Heights man was in possession of a backpack which was found to allegedly contain methylamphetamine and a set of scales, as well as 13 Queensland and New South Wales driver licences, four Australian passports and one UK passport and 13 Medicare cards.

He also allegedly had possession of another cloned registration plate for the same make and model of his motorbike.

The man was subjected to a Roadside Drug Test which police allege returned a positive result.

The RPIU charged the man with 36 offences and issued him with 55 traffic infringement notices for speeding, as well as impounding his motorcycle for forfeiture.

The offences include:

• 1 count of possess dangerous drugs exceeding Schedule 2

• 1 count of possess property suspected of being used in a drug offence

• 1 count of drug driving

• 1 count of tainted property (stolen registration plate)

• 2 counts of evade police

• 2 counts of disqualified driving

• 4 counts of unlicensed driving

• 6 counts of unregistered vehicle

• 6 counts of uninsured vehicle

• 6 counts of false plates

• 1 count of possess item purporting to be a registration plate (that is, a “cloned” plate)

• 2 counts of fail to stop at red light

• 2 counts of disobeying the speed limit

• 1 count of breach a domestic violence order

He is due to face Brisbane Magistrates Court on February 3.

The 55 speeding infringement notices are for allegedly exceeding the speed limit in the tunnels, Brisbane streets, as well as on the Bruce Highway, including 30 high-speed offences where his alleged speed was more than 40km/h over the speed limit.

The highest alleged speeds were on three occasions when the motorcycle was detected travelling at 178, 175 and 172 kilometres per hour in a 100 zone on the Gympie Arterial Road, Bald Hills. The motorbike was also allegedly detected travelling at 155, 149 and 147 kilometres per hour in an 80 zone in the Airport Link Tunnel, Wooloowin.

Investigations by the Gateway Property Crime team continues into the man’s activities with the 22-year-old so far charged with five counts of tainted property and one count of obtaining or dealing with identity information.

He is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on February 3 on those matters also.

Acting Superintendent Peter Flanders, Operations Commander, Road Policing Command praised the outstanding work of the RPIU in identifying and locating an alleged recidivist offender who police are alleging committed numerous life endangering offences on Brisbane roads due to the manner of his riding.

“It cannot be overstated the potential devastating impact of driving behaviour such as what is alleged to have occurred.

“For one rider to be charged and also receive 55 speeding notices for alleged offences committed on Brisbane streets is deplorable.”

Acting Superintendent Flanders also sent a message to drivers and riders who think they can speed on our roads with impunity.

“We have a dedicated team of highly skilled investigators at the RPIU who monitor, identify and locate drivers engaged in dangerous behaviour on our roads.”

Late last year officers from the RPIU analysing the high-speed camera detections focused their efforts on a motorcycle speeding at 205kms/hr in a 70 zone on Sandgate Road, Boondall at 10.50pm on 10 April 2019.

“This speed was almost three times the limit and was clearly extremely dangerous driving behaviour. There is no margin for error when travelling at speeds more suited to a racetrack than a suburban road.

“The RPIU were determined to identify the rider and bring him before the court,” Acting Superintendent Flanders said.

Despite only having a speed camera image of the motorcycle, and no front plate, an investigator from the RPIU managed to identify the specific type of bike and then scoured databases and vision stores, to locate the previous owner of the motorcycle.

From here the new owner was identified and a search warrant executed at a Taigum residence on 12 September 2019 during which police allege they located the exact jacket and helmet worn by the rider in the camera image.

A 27-year-old Taigum man was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle (with a high-speed circumstance of aggravation).

The man attended the Sandgate Magistrates Court on November 8 where he pleaded guilty, receiving a 12-month licence disqualification and 15 months probation.

“The moral of these two examples is two-fold. Firstly- don’t use our roadways as speedways. Don’t endanger everyone with your recklessness and stupidity.

“And secondly – if you do, we have a specialised unit dedicated to identifying and tracking you down. We won’t rest, and you should expect a knock on your door,” Acting Superintendent Flanders said.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.

You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.

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