A man has been charged following an alleged rampage through a restricted part of Brisbane Airport that he was able to access by ramming his car through a gate.
Australian Federal Police arrested the man on February 1 after they responded to reports that a vehicle had been observed “ramming an international terminal airside gate to gain access to the airport’s airside precinct”.
“It is alleged the man, 33, entered the restricted zone, got out of his vehicle and ran around the area before he returned to his vehicle and rammed another gate to exit,” police said.
“AFP members attended the scene to secure the airside gates and collect evidential material, including debris from the vehicle.”
Despite their best efforts, police from the AFP and Queensland Police Service were unable to track the man – or his vehicle – within the airport precinct following the getaway.
The man was arrested six days later by QPS officers on February 8 in Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast for unrelated matters.
The AFP has since charged him with one count of entering an airside security zone without permission and one count of wilfully and unlawfully destroying or causing damage to property.
AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Adrian Smith said airside restrictions existed “to ensure the safety and security of all persons travelling and working throughout the airport”.
“If you choose to ignore the warnings and enter an airside security zone without permission, especially in a forcefully destructive manner, you can expect to face prosecution,” Superintendent Smith said.
The man will face Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday.
