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Dramatic vision captures friends chasing an alleged thief who almost collided with them

Duncan MurrayNCA NewsWire
Two best friends decided not to let a thief get away after being sideswiped.
Camera IconTwo best friends decided not to let a thief get away after being sideswiped. Credit: Supplied

Police helicopter vision captured the moment a stolen HiLux ute being driven by an alleged thief crashed into the wrong car.

Inside were two best friends who made it their mission not to let the driver get away, tracking the 42-year-old Caboolture woman until police could arrest her.

The pursuit was sparked when police noticed the reportedly stolen vehicle at a Sunshine Coast shopping centre, on Bribie Island, shortly before 3.00pm on Monday, August 15.

The ute can be seen going through a red light and cutting off a yellow mazda being driven by Crystal Kondor and Breanah Chessells.

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Two friends have helped bring an alleged thief to justice after becoming involved in a dangerous high-speed pursuit. Image: Nine
Camera IconCrystal Kondor (Left) and Breanah Chessells helped track a stolen ute that almost collided with them. Image: Nine Credit: Supplied

The girls were able to swerve out of the way at the last moment to avoid a direct collision but clipped a nearby 4WD as they did.

“I was about halfway through the intersection and I’ve looked right and I’ve seen this four-wheel drive coming at me, felt like 80km/h,” Ms Chessells told Channel Nine.

Ms Kondor added, “there were kids in that car we hit.”

Injured and confused by the crash, instead of pulling over the friends decided to take justice into their own hands and track the runaway ute themselves.

“She doesn’t stop, so I was like I can’t let you get away with this,” Ms Chessells said.

The friends followed the stolen ute for around five minutes before police arrived on the scene.

Officers successfully deployed tyre spikes to slow the ute which then allegedly ran a red light before hitting another vehicle and coming to a stop.

As the driver fled on foot, the two friends continued to follow her right up to the moment police arrived and made the arrest.

The recklessly driven ute came within inches of colliding directly with the girl’s car. Image: Queensland Police
Camera IconThe recklessly driven ute came within inches of colliding directly with the girl’s car. Image: Queensland Police Credit: Supplied

Ms Kondor taunted the woman from the passenger window as she ran down a footpath.

“You just smashed into so many people,” she yelled at the woman, “f**k you”.

Ms Chessells said even if police had been slower to act the driver of the ute wouldn’t have gotten far.

“I would have tackled her to the ground and held her there and told her [Kondor] to call the police,” she said.

The woman was charged with a string of offences including two counts of stealing, three counts of receiving tainted property and one count each of burglary and commit indictable offence.

Following the pursuit she was also been charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle and dangerous operation of a vehicle.

Originally published as Dramatic vision captures friends chasing an alleged thief who almost collided with them

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