Thieves target council vehicle
ON THE afternoon of July 18, two thieves could surely not believe their luck when they stumbled across an unlocked car belonging to the council.
Unable to resist the temptation of such a find, the men entered the vehicle to discover their luck had just begun.
Inside they also found a work mobile phone, the keys to the car and a wallet containing $100.
One part of the dishonest duo, Raymond Leslie Nean, fronted Warwick Magistrates Court last week over the incident.
The court heard Nean opened the car door and removed the items from the vehicle, which was parked in the Southern Downs Regional Council carpark on Fitzroy St, Warwick.
CCTV footage from the area led police to identify Nean and his accomplice as the ones responsible.
The wallet was emptied of its cash and thrown into an industrial rubbish bin, as were the keys.
The mobile phone was later recovered, as was the empty wallet, but the keys were never found.
Defence counsel for Nean told the court his client had no income whatsoever and would not be able to pay restitution to the victim.
He added that it was important to note the men did not take the vehicle, despite the keys having been made available to them.
The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to stealing and unlawful entry of a motor vehicle.
He was ordered to complete 40 hours community service and no conviction was recorded against him.
Magistrate Graham Lee did not order any restitution be paid to the victim, despite a request for $100 compensation.
