Stolen Car Blaze Reveals Veggie Heist

In an unusual turn of events, Queensland Police have apprehended a man after a stolen vehicle carrying stolen vegetables caught fire on the M1 at Mudgeeraba. The incident occurred around 10.20 pm on June 17, 2025, when officers noticed a 2009 Ford Focus with false registration plates driving dangerously on the Pacific Motorway at Robina.

The vehicle began to shed debris from its engine bay before catching fire. The driver pulled over near the Gooding Drive exit, where police took him into custody without any injuries reported. Officers quickly extinguished the flames, preventing further escalation of the fire.

A subsequent search revealed the car was filled with various stolen goods, including sweet potatoes, potatoes, wraps, and almond milk, allegedly taken from a fresh-food grocer in Robina shortly before the blaze. The Ford Focus had been reported stolen from Mayfair Place, Stretton, in the early hours of May 27.

The 36-year-old man from Chambers Flat faces multiple charges, including three counts of stealing, two counts of fraud, and single counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, disqualified and drink driving, attaching false plates, and possessing tainted property. He has been issued a notice to appear at the Southport Magistrates Court.