Bruce Dyball charged with 22 offences after cross-border manhunt between Mungindi and Dirranbandi | Update

Police will allege around 2pm on May 22 they attempted to intercept a man as he travelled across the border in a stolen 4WD utility.

It will be further alleged that the 29-year-old collided with a police vehicle causing minor damage during the attempt to intercept his vehicle.

At approximately 5.50pm that day the man drove into dense scrub land whilst attempting to evade police, with his vehicle sustaining damage and becoming unable to be driven.

A 42-year-old landholder nearby allegedly had a firearm pointed towards him by the offender, before the offender fled on foot.

The farmer was not physically injured.

Around midday on Wednesday, Dyball was captured hiding in bush land on a property outside Dirranbandi.

Subsequent searches of areas where the offender had sought refuge overnight resulted in the locating of a number of alleged stolen weapons. Police said nine firearms have been recovered.

A 29-year-old St George man has been charged with weapon, property and serious traffic offences, some of which include- dangerous driving, dangerous conduct with a weapon, discharging a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, fail to stop a motor vehicle, common assault and obstruct police.

Investigations are continuing and it is envisaged further charges may be laid in the future.

POLICE will allege a man fired shots at a farmer and brandished a gun at another while he was being chased by New England officers in a major cross-border manhunt.

Bruce Dyball was in custody in Queensland on Wednesday night being questioned by officers after he was captured in the large-scale police operation.

The police air-wing, dog squad, rural crime police, local officers as well as Queenland police had battled remote and rugged terrain in the chase from Mungindi to Collarenbri to Angledool and into Dirranbandi in Queensland.

New England Superintendent Scott Tanner told Fairfax Media police had been chasing the 29-year-old who was allegedly armed with firearms.

“The operation has been running for the last couple of days targeting offenders who we will allege have been stealing firearms in the Mungindi area,” he said.

He has not been charged with the offences, but Superintendent Tanner said police would apply for his extradition back to NSW once the Queensland offences had been dealt with.

”He is currently in custody in Queensland where he will be charged with a number of Queensland-related offences,” he said.

“He will then be charged with a number of NSW-related offences including aggravated break-and-enter offences, Skye’s Law police pursuit, rural trespass and firearms offences.”

Police allege Dyball broke into properties in the Mungindi area on May 18 and 20 and stole 13 firearms. Police have since recovered nine firearms.

“We will be alleging he shot at a local landholder and that offence occurred in the course of a pursuit, the offender crashed his vehicle and when some landholders confronted him, he is alleged to have fired three shots at one of them,” he said.

“He is then alleged to have pointed the firearm at another farmer and threatened him.”

Superintendent Tanner said the police operation was “extremely dangerous” but had culminated in the arrest of Dyball.

“This was an excellent example of cross-border policing and just proves that borders won’t save offenders who try to avoid apprehension or use it to their advantage,” he said.

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“And the community assistance was invaluable, we had farmers using their own private helicopters to try and search for these persons, in what was very inaccessible country.

“They provided very valuable information and their assistance, in an area that was difficult to get police resources into quickly, was invaluable.

“Without that, we would not have been able to effect this arrest.”

The operation continues in the hunt for 27-year-old Luke Jones who is wanted for questioning in relation to the Mungindi break-and-enters and who police said was “actively avoiding officers”. He remained on the run on Wednesday night.

“Our operation will continue to target his whereabouts and I would call upon Jones to make contact with police or hand himself in, for his own safety and for the safety of the community and police,” Superintendent Tanner said.

A detective senior constable suffered a fractured wrist in Dyball’s arrest and was still getting treatment on Wednesday afternoon at Dirranbandi hospital.

Police said a 20-year-old Mungindi man has also been charged in connection to the Mungindi break-and-enters.

Jason James Brady was refused bail in an out-of-sessions bail hearing in Moree Local Court on Wednesday charged with aggravated break-and-enter and two counts of travelling in a stolen car.

Police will allege he was in the company of the other two men when he allegedly broke in and stole firearms from a property.

He will remain in custody until next week.