An elderly man is unlikely to survive critical injuries he suffered in an alleged robbery which police have described as “brazen, cowardly, abhorrent”.

One person has been charged with attacking and robbing the man, while one or two other suspects remain on the run in southern Queensland.

The alleged victim had been trying to hail a cab when a male youth walked up behind him and pushed him over onto a road in the Toowoomba CBD about 5pm on Monday, police said.

He suffered significant injuries to his head, neck and spine with the younger male allegedly snatching his black backpack before getting into a stolen black Hyundai Tucson, which was driven off.

About four hours later the same four-wheel drive was spotted and police used road spikes to blow its tyres, but the driver and passengers fled the scene on foot with the dog squad only able to arrest the teen who allegedly pushed the victim.

Detective Inspector Heath McQueen condemned the random attack, saying the victim is unlikely to survive his injuries.

“Brazen, cowardly, abhorrent – yeah, like a 75-year-old male minding his own business,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“The victim had an impairment, so had a relatively tough life himself. His injuries are critical, and we have been advised that it’s highly likely not survivable.”

A man has been charged with grievous bodily harm, unarmed robbery, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and burglary relating to the stolen 4WD.

A teenage male found near the dumped car was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, with detectives trying to work out whether he was in the car when the attack on the elderly man occurred.

Police are still trying to find one or two other people who were also in the Hyundai Tucson at the time of the robbery.

Det Insp McQueen said there’s early evidence that those in the car were travelling around the Toowoomba CBD looking to commit other robberies after the initial attack.

The elderly man’s backpack is still missing with police calling for anyone with any information about it or the car’s occupants to come forward.