Overview

• Police say the man entered a Maud Street store about 10:30pm with a firearm, threatened a female employee, sexually assaulted her, and forced her into her vehicle.
• Over roughly 3½ hours, the victim was allegedly tied and driven to Brisbane before the vehicle was tracked back to the Sunshine Coast.
• Officers intercepted the car at a Syd Lingard Drive park in Buderim about 2am, freed the woman in a toilet block, and arrested the suspect.
• The accused faces three counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault while armed, armed robbery, kidnapping, deprivation of liberty, weapons and vehicle offences, and unlicensed driving.
• Investigators say the parties were unknown to each other with robbery cited as the initial motive; the woman received hospital care and is recovering at home, and the man is due in Maroochydore Magistrates Court today.