A chaotic police chase across suburban Brisbane has ended in an unlikely and painful mishap, after a 17-year-old suspect accused of a string of property and car theft crimes made a desperate escape attempt that landed him directly in a backyard filled with spiky cactuses.
The incident unfolded when Queensland Police officers targeted two teenage suspects — a 17-year-old from Crestmead and a 16-year-old accomplice — linked to multiple criminal offenses across Brisbane’s southern suburbs. According to police statements, the pair are suspected of targeting nine separate properties across four local suburbs, carrying out a pattern of theft and trespassing.
As officers moved in to apprehend the suspects, the 17-year-old attempted to outrun police, scrambling over a residential fence in a bid to hide in a neighboring private backyard. What the teen did not account for, however, was that the yard was home to a dense collection of cacti. He landed directly among the spiny plants, and ended up embedded with more than 30 sharp cactus barbs across his body.
During the course of the chase, the suspect also dropped a bag carrying 10 vehicle keys and a quantity of cannabis, which was recovered by investigating officers. Captured on official police body and scene footage, the teen can be seen lying prone on the ground next to a thick row of cacti as first responders from the police force attend to his injuries.
Radio communications between officers captured the absurd nature of the incident, with a dispatcher asking if the suspect had only sustained light scratches to his legs, only for the on-scene officer to reply: “Yeah, you could say that, he’s got a large number of barbs.”
Despite the painful encounter, the 17-year-old only suffered minor injuries from the cactus encounter. After receiving on-site medical attention from police, he was taken into police custody.
Both teens have been formally charged over the alleged crime spree. The 17-year-old faces 11 criminal counts, including charges of attempted entry to a dwelling, possession of dangerous drugs, unlawful possession of suspected stolen property, and wilful damage. He is scheduled to appear before Brisbane Children’s Court on May 11.
His 16-year-old co-accused was also taken into custody, facing 11 counts of attempted trespass alongside two additional charges. The younger suspect will make his first court appearance at Brisbane Children’s Court on April 20.