Wallabies star Quade Cooper charged over burglary

Courier Mail ^ | December 06, 2009 | Greg Stolz and Jeremy Pierce

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Seven days after he was praised for taking "huge steps" on the field for the Wallabies, Quade Cooper yesterday walked out of a Gold Coast police station charged with burglary.

The Courier-Mail watched as a bleary-eyed Cooper, trying to shield his face, left the Southport watchhouse after being charged following a 4am arrest near Surfers Paradise.

Rugby union authorities were not commenting last night as details began emerging of the alleged break-in which has again thrown a cloud over the career of one of Australia's most talented young players.

Cooper, 21, was arrested at Budds Beach after the door of a house, rented by two foreign university students, was allegedly kicked in and two laptop computers reported missing.

A police source said officers used capsicum spray during the arrest but a police spokeswoman would not confirm this. Police are searching for an alleged accomplice.

Another source said the students came home to find their house had been broken into and rang police. The students, from Colombia and Turkey, had no idea the man accused of the burglary was an Australian sports star until told by police.

The students would not comment when The Courier-Mail visited their Palm Ave home yesterday, saying they were yet to give official statements to police.

Cooper was charged with one count of burglary and was bailed to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday. He offered no comment when he was released from the watchhouse early yesterday afternoon.

Spokesmen for the Queensland and Australian Rugby Unions said they wanted to know more of the details before making any official comment. "We haven't spoken to Quade yet so we don't know his side of it," the QRU spokesman said.

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Rough week for sports pros.

Kicking the door in for two laptops? What? Is the guy drunk or what?

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Rugby must not pay very much.