Queanbeyan Police warn border-jumping drivers they will get caught

Senior constable Steven Hilhorst said many disqualified motorists tried to play 'dumb' and apply for licence across the border. However, he said ignorance was no excuse for breaking the law.

"People just act dumb but they know exactly what they're doing. It's bad at worst and dodgy at best," he said.

"They just think 'I'll just do it and if I get pulled over, I'll just act all dumb and they'll let me go'. No...you'll still face the magistrate."

Senior constable Hilhorst said this was particularly common in towns located near state lines like Queanbeyan and also Albury and Tweed Heads.

"If you're disqualified from driving in ACT or NSW, you're disqualified in the whole country. You can't hold a licence or go apply for a licence," he said.

"What people try to do is they pretend they've moved to another state. They lie on application forms and if they're found to be lying, they've committed two offences.

"One being a driver disqualified and the other for making a false application for a driver's licence."

Senior constable Hilhorst warned disqualified drivers it was only a matter of time before they would get caught.

"Ten years ago people would go across the border and get a licence and think, 'how are they going to know?'," he said.

"But these days the ACT and NSW Government talk a little bit better and quite often the computer will flag problems for us."

Just this week a Canberra man was stripped of his right to drive until 2017 after he caught on the road three days after having his licence disqualified.

Jovan Gurcinovski, of McNeil Place, Pearce, was convicted for a drink driving charge in an ACT Court on February 12. He received a two-month driving suspension.

However, three days later on February 15, the 65-year-old was stopped for the purpose of a random breath test on Canberra Avenue, Queanbeyan.

Gurcinovski, representing himself, told Queanbeyan Local Court he believed he was on an ACT-issued 'work licence' allowing him the right to drive during work hours.

However, he had never applied for the licence and there is no such equivalent of a 'work licence' in NSW; they are invalid on this side of the border.

Magistrate Michael Antrum said Gurcinovski had made a "pretty stupid decision" in getting behind the wheel that day.

He fined the Canberran $440 and disqualified Gurcinovski from driving for a further two years from the expiration of his current disqualification period.

Once the disqualification period is completed, motorists must reapply for their licence before they regain the right to drive.