A young mother has pleaded guilty to a crime spree stretching from North Queensland to Brisbane, which included a Jindalee ram raid at a Chemist Warehouse and a high-speed police chase that ended in a fiery crash.
The dramatic chain of events came to a head in the Noosa hinterland, where police arrested 22-year-old Francis Solomon after she attempted to flee into the bush following the crash of a stolen Nissan Patrol.
Months of Crime Across Queensland
Ms Solomon’s offending began in July last year when she was captured on CCTV in Townsville as a passenger in a stolen vehicle. Days later, she was arrested but became aggressive towards police, swearing at officers, spitting at a glass divider, and even signing profanity on a bail slip. Despite being granted police bail, she refused to leave the watchhouse and spat at an officer before fleeing.
Her activities resurfaced in Brisbane between 29 September and 2 October, when her fingerprints were found at a burglary in Windsor. But the most brazen act occurred on 20 October in Jindalee.
Court documents reveal that Ms Solomon and her accomplices used two stolen cars—a Volkswagen Golf and a Ford Fiesta—to ram into the front glass doors of a Chemist Warehouse. Once inside, they stole multiple bottles of fragrance before escaping in the stolen vehicles.
The following day, 21 October, she and her group were involved in another theft, this time at TK Maxx in Macgregor, before making another getaway in a stolen car.
Police Pursuit and Fiery Crash
Police were tipped off about the group’s movements on 22 October, spotting them driving a stolen Nissan Patrol near Federal on the Sunshine Coast. A chase ensued, with officers deploying tyre spikes to stop the vehicle. The high-speed pursuit ended dramatically when the stolen car crashed into bushland and caught fire, requiring almost a dozen fire crews to extinguish the blaze.
Queensland Police later released dramatic footage of the aftermath, showing the charred wreckage and officers moving in to detain the suspects. Despite attempting to hide in the bush, Solomon was arrested at around 6:00 p.m. and has been in custody ever since.

Court Sentencing and Rehabilitation Efforts
Ms Solomon plead guilty to 10 offences, including three counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, two counts of stealing, and one count of serious assault of police.
Her defence solicitor stated that during her time in custody, Ms Solomon had completed a drug rehabilitation program and was now in the residential part of the jail. A community-based anti-violence organisation also provided a reference, indicating that she was working towards turning her life around for the sake of her three young children, all under the age of four.
Magistrate Rod Madsen sentenced Solomon to 30 months in jail, setting her parole eligibility date for 22 June.
Published 3-February-2025