5 days ago
Three teens on the run after armed break-in attempts leave Toowoomba community shaken
Three teenage robbers are still on the run after attempting to break into an elderly couple's home while armed with knives and a shovel.
Maree Taylor, 76, and her 80-year-old husband David were left terrified when three masked intruders appeared outside their Joyce St home in Toowoomba, Queensland, about 9.30pm on Friday.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Terrifying footage of youths attempting robbery.
'How you going, miss?' one of them said, as captured on the couple's doorbell camera.
When Taylor warned she'd call the police, the trio tried to smash a window to force their way inside.
But after failing to break in, they took a photo of the house and suddenly fled.
On their way out, one of them can be heard saying, 'That's a Volkswagen,' referring to the couple's car.
'I just felt like I was going to have a heart attack. It was really scary,' Taylor told 7NEWS.
The same trio had been caught on camera trying to break into another home in Harristown just five minutes earlier.
They were seen bashing at the door with a knife.
Resident Michelle told 9News she and her partner didn't realise the group was armed until they watched the footage.
'They had a knife and yelling out they wanted the car keys,' she said.
'Quite a decent-sized knife, yeah it's just terrible and there's a few around last night unfortunately,' she said.
She told 7NEWS she barely slept that night.
It's alleged the teenagers have been travelling in a Kia Cerato hatchback with the number plate KORG43, which was reported stolen on Friday morning.
The car was allegedly taken from a home in Oakey after the owner was threatened with a knife.
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A ute stolen on Friday night and torched the following morning is also believed to be linked to the group.
The Toowoomba community has been left reeling by the back-to-back incidents.
A woman living alone said she locked all her doors and kept her dog close after seeing the footage.
'Anyone else feeling nervous tonight about 2 videos of 3 men trying to break into Harristown doors in areas last 24 hours?' she wrote on social media.
Others echoed her concern.
'Honestly, yes. The police/council need to try harder to keep our community safe,' one person replied.
'I feel this too. I'm a single mum and am terrified nightly of possible break ins. I'm thankful I have cameras but still scares me badly,' another said.
