Far North Queensland police have charged six teenagers and an 18-year-old man in separate investigations into allegedly stolen vehicles as part of Operation Yankee Forge, a statewide crackdown on high-harm offences. On October 10, police tracked an 18-year-old man and two boys, aged 17 and 13, after they allegedly fled in a stolen Mercedes ML350. The vehicle was stopped using a tyre deflation device and abandoned at Bourke Close before the trio was arrested at an Idalia Street residence by Tactical Crime Squad and Property Crime Unit officers. The 13-year-old was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, while the 17-year-old faces additional charges including entering premises, receiving tainted property, stealing and wilful damage. The 18-year-old was also charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle. The two boys were refused police bail and appeared in Cairns Children’s Court on October 13. The man was due to appear in Cairns Magistrates Court on October 12. In a separate investigation, three teenage boys were charged after a silver Subaru Outback was allegedly stolen from an Anderson Road address on October 1. Police Airwing tracked the vehicle to a Westcourt shopping centre, where the teenagers allegedly fled after being collected by an adult in another vehicle. Detective Acting Inspector Matt Hogan said disrupting stolen vehicles remained a priority because of the danger posed to the community. Operation Yankee Forge targets unlawful use of motor vehicles, unlawful entry and robbery through coordinated activity by Queensland police regions and specialist squads. Post navigation Motorcyclist Dies in Woolloongabba Crash