Right place, time solves crime | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast

The Hervey Bay Crime Unit has recovered thousands of dollars worth of stolen jewellery in its second significant bust this week.

KARLEILA THOMSEN

POLICE use many methods to tackle crime but sometimes it is simply about being in the right place at the right time.

This has been the case twice for the Hervey Bay Crime Unit, who this week recovered thousands of dollars in stolen goods and uncovered a working drug lab.

Precious jewellery was among a huge stockpile of goods police discovered by chance after they decided to question a teenager on an electric bike on Thursday morning.

The teen said he borrowed the bike from a friend and when police later searched said friend’s house in Richard Street, Urangan, they found the loot hidden in a gym bag.

A $10,000 diamond ring and other jewellery belonging to a Urangan woman were among items recovered.

But it was a sentimental item – a $200 ring that belonged to her late father – rather than anything of monetary value that the woman was most pleased to get back.

Mobile phones, cameras, coins, fishing rods, shot glasses, cigarette lighters and drugs were also seized in the discovery.

“This is the second significant find this week for the Crime Unit, the second self-generated find, after receiving information from the public and following up every lead,” acting police Inspector Tony Cole said.

“We’ve had bigger (recoveries) but this is certainly a significant quantity.”

Earlier in the week, Crime Unit police also uncovered a meth lab when they attended an Urraween house for another matter.

A Maryborough couple has since been charged with multiple drug offences and the Illicit Laboratory Investigation Team was brought in from Brisbane to investigate.

Police say it is rare for clandestine laboratories to be operating when they are found.

The Crime Unit is hoping to return all the recovered property to its rightful owners and is now asking anyone who has been robbed of such items to contact Hervey Bay police station.

The resident of the house, a man in his early 20s, is yet to be found.

The Urangan woman whose jewellery was recovered says her home has been robbed several times and estimates she has lost about $200,000 in property.

Police are urging visitors to tourist parks and local residents to secure their belongings over the busy Easter period.