Fairly Tanked?

A MAN accused of driving an armoured personnel carrier (APC) into mobile phone towers in Sydney has been charged with numerous offences. Police say the 45-year-old man led officers for 90 minutes through six western Sydney suburbs as he crashed the privately-owned APC through fences and into mobile phone towers, telecommunication relay sheds and an electrical sub-station.

Mobile phone services in the area have been disrupted while technicians wait to gain entry to the crime scenes. Police on patrol in Minchinbury noticed APC being used to destroy an electricity substation about 2am (AEST) today.

The tank was allegedly stolen from A-One Lift Truck Services, where it was available for hire and was popular with students who used it for school formals.

After calling for back-up, they followed the carrier through the suburbs of Mt Druitt, Dharruk, Emerton, Glendenning and Plumpton. The APC left a path of destruction, bringing down a number of mobile phone towers and relay sheds, police said. The pursuit ended in Dean Park after about 90 minutes, when the vehicle stalled as it was being driven towards another mobile phone tower. Police arrested a 45-year-old Dharruk man there and later charged with with numerous offences. The man claimed he was 'authorised to 'service' the mobile phone towers'.

He was charged with six counts of malicious damage, break, enter and steal, predatory driving, possession of a prohibited drug, use of a weapon to avoid apprehension and driving in a dangerous manner.

Suck that Optus . . .I knew your 24 month plan was too expensive!