A dramatic backyard chase through Zillmere, in which an alleged offender was found hiding in a toybox, was one of the notable incidents during Operation Xray Nightfury, a weeklong police crackdown that saw 155 people charged across North Brisbane.
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The arrest, in which a 22-year-old alleged high-risk offender was found hiding in a toybox, took place during the first wave of the operation which is an intensive policing initiative targeting offences of concern across North Brisbane suburbs including Aspley, Zillmere, Virginia, Gaythorne and Bald Hills.
According to the Queensland Police Service (QPS), the operation ran between 17 and 23 November, with detectives, Tactical Crime officers and General Duties teams working together to target burglary, robbery, unlawful motor vehicle use, and assaults. In that seven-day period, officers charged 137 adults with 317 offences, and 18 juveniles with an additional 46 offences.
On 19 November, officers patrolling near Beams Road in Zillmere reportedly identified a wanted 22-year-old Bald Hills man. Police allege he attempted to flee through neighbouring yards before being found hiding in a toybox at a nearby address.
The man was charged with 46 offences, including three counts of possessing dangerous drugs, two counts of public nuisance, obstruct police, and single counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, stealing, trespass, enter premises and commit, contravene police direction, and interfere with fire apparatus. He was remanded in custody and is scheduled to reappear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 7 January 2026.
Nightfury’s first deployment was reinforced by the ongoing Operation Xray Grimlock, another initiative targeting late-night property crime and vehicle theft across Brisbane’s northern suburbs.
Another notable incident on 17 November involved two teenagers arrested after alleged thefts from two businesses on Sandgate Road, Virginia. Police allege the pair stole multiple items and that one teenager threatened a worker with an axe. A 16-year-old McDowall boy and a 15-year-old Wavell Heights boy were each charged with two counts of stealing and one count of armed robbery in company. Both are due to appear in Brisbane Children’s Court on 13 January 2026.
The operation also extended to Gaythorne, where police executed a search warrant on 18 November in an effort to locate an outstanding high-risk offender. Officers allegedly discovered a shortened firearm and 13 rounds of ammunition concealed at a Lade Street property. A 25-year-old Gaythorne man was taken into custody the following day at Ferny Grove. He has since been charged with unlawful possession of a category H weapon and authority required to possess explosives, and is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 26 November.
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Incidents reported during the first wave ranged from Zillmere to Virginia and Gaythorne, reflecting the geographic scope of Nightfury deployments. Acting Superintendent Jon Kent said the coordinated approach has been key to producing immediate results. “Having the ability to coordinate our specialised detectives with our general duties and tactical crime response has made us more active in tackling crime and preventing it proactively,” he said.
He added: “It’s encouraging to see that Nightfury has enabled us to detect and investigate a wide variety of offences, often yielding immediate results. This initiative will be ongoing in North Brisbane to help the community be safe and feel safe.”
QPS says Nightfury will continue in North Brisbane; further waves of enforcement can be expected in suburbs including Zillmere, Aspley, and Virginia.
Published 3-December-2025
