Helensvale citizen’s arrest: Queenslanders pin down tearaway teenagers after car smash

Fed-up locals have pinned down a mob of tearaway teenagers in a dramatic citizen’s arrest after they allegedly caused chaos in their quiet suburban street.

A group of four teen boys allegedly drove into parked vehicles in a sleepy residential street in Helensvale on Queensland’s Gold Coast, triggering the fury of neighbours.

After hearing a ‘loud crash’, locals – including a former police officer – ran from their homes and pulled the driver aged 17 from the Ford Ranger car.

At least half a dozen men circled the youth and forced him onto the ground until police arrived.

Fed-up locals have pinned down a mob of tearaway teenagers in a citizen’s arrest after they allegedly caused chaos in their quiet suburban street (pictured)

A group of four teen boys allegedly drove into parked vehicles in a sleepy residential street in Helensvale on Queensland’s Gold Coast, triggering the fury of neighbours (pictured)

Three passengers aged 15 and 16 allegedly fled the scene on foot but later returned and were also held by the residents.

‘I intercepted one of them, who stayed with me, and another one of our neighbours came and helped me hold that person here,’ a local told 7 News. 

‘By that time quite a lot of neighbours had come out. We were fortunate that there were a number of neighbours, big neighbours, that were out.

At least half a dozen men circled the youth and forced him onto the ground until police arrived

After hearing a ‘loud crash’, locals – including a former police officer – ran from their homes and pulled the bare-chested driver aged 17 – wearing an eshay-style bag – from the Ford Ranger car

‘We’re fortunate to have great response from our neighbourhood so we detained all four of them and by that time the police had been called.’

He said the teens had allegedly been on a rampage prior to Tuesday afternoon’s crash into a parked camper and an MG car, and feared it could have ended in tragedy.

‘Some of the neighbours had heard them from about two or three streets away,’ said the Gippsland Drive local.

‘It’s getting worse and this is something we’re all alert to in this area. They absolutely could have killed somebody.’

He added: ‘In this area there’s a lot of children always out – we’re very very fortunate that at that time they didn’t kill somebody.

‘We’re all concerned for our safety while we’re in our own homes just going about our daily lives.

‘The community has had enough.’ 

The teens had allegedly been on a rampage prior to Tuesday afternoon’s crash into a parked camper and an MG car (pictured), and locals feared it could have ended in tragedy

Three passengers aged 15 and 16 allegedly fled the scene on foot but later returned and were also held by the residents

The car belonged to the driver but was allegedly found with drug paraphernalia and open bottles of booze inside.

The learner driver, whose licence has now been suspended, allegedly gave a blood alcohol reading of 0.087.

‘A 17-year-old male driver from Helensvale has been given a notice to appear and has his licence has been suspended after a traffic crash at Helensvale,’ Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Around 2.30pm a Ford Ranger was travelling south along Gippsland Drive when it crashed into a camper parked on the side of the road which has then impacted into a MG vehicle.

Locals said they were fortunate that there were a lot of ‘big’ neighbours (pictured) to lend a hand in holding the teenagers while they waited for police

‘The driver of the Ford Ranger has pulled over to the side of the road and the four occupants, 17-year-old driver, two 16-year-old boys and one 15-year-old boy, exited the vehicle. A neighbour has detained the group until police arrived.

‘The driver holds a current learner’s licence but did not have appropriate supervision in vehicle.

‘Police breath tested the driver and it is alleged he returned a breath test of 0.087 back at the station. He has been given a notice to appear for drink driving and his licence has been suspended.

‘The vehicle was not stolen.’