Opal heist 'lookout' faces court | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast

Police stationed at the corner of Donaldson and Bingham roads on Tuesday to check cars.

Alistair Brightman

AS the search for a 20-year-old man on the run in Booral was scaled back yesterday, a German backpacker arrested in relation to the theft of opals valued at $165,000 fronted the Hervey Bay Magistrates Court for a second time.

Ramona Berninger, also 20, walked into the court crying after lawyer Ian Pilgrim broke the news she would be remanded in custody until tomorrow morning.

South Australian police will arrive in Hervey Bay tonight before extradition proceedings in the Hervey Bay Magistrates Court tomorrow morning.

Prosecutor Sergeant Craig Ryan gave an undertaking to Magistrate Graeme Tatnell that the German consulate would be contacted about Berninger's case. Berninger's visa only allows her to stay in the country until the end of July.

If court proceedings take longer than that, South Australian police may apply for a criminal justice visa so she can stay in the country longer.

Berninger was charged with bringing stolen property into Queensland after being found at River Heads on Sunday night with 45 opals.

Police allege that Berninger acted as the lookout during the theft of opals from Coober Pedy on June 9. She had known the suspect, Carlo Konstantin Kohl, for a few weeks at the time of the alleged offence.

After a concerted attempt to apprehend Kohl failed on Tuesday, Hervey Bay police pulled back the search yesterday.

“No one has called about any break-ins out there (Booral) and there have been no sightings of him on the roads,” Detective Sergeant Bruce Hodgins said.

Det. Sgt Hodgins said the search would continue but police were seeking new information about Kohl's whereabouts.

He urged residents of Booral and its hinterland to contact Hervey Bay police if they found any strange activity on their land, any sign of anyone hanging around the area or if they found any equipment on their property had been tampered with.

Carlo Kohl fled when police intercepted the car he and Ramona Berninger were travelling in on Sunday night at River Heads.

Police stepped up their search for Kohl on Tuesday after a replica gun was put to a man's head in River Heads and a transit van stolen.

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Opals part of $165,000 theft