Mum jailed on 43 fraud counts
A WARWICK family of three which fleeced around $10,000 in stolen goods from commercial and residential properties appeared in Dalby Magistrates Court this week, facing a shocking 81 charges between them.
The offending family comprised Theresa Ann Holtham, 48, Richard John Michael Holtham, 27, and Chanelle Rose Holtham, 20 and the laundry list of charges included fraud, stealing, assault and unlawful entry.
Family matriarch Theresa faced 43 charges and was sentenced to 18 months jail, to be paroled after serving six months.
Theresa's son Richard avoided serving jail time after fronting court charged with 20 fraud and one attempted fraud charge, with the magistrate imposing a six-month jail sentence, which was wholly suspended for two years.
Co-conspirator and Theresa's daughter Chanelle was sentenced to 100 hours of community service – to be completed within 18 months – for her part in the crime spree.
Warwick police uncovered a cache of stolen goods, including engine oil, hand tools, communications gear and several thousands of dollars worth of soft drink, during a raid on a Wallace St address on February 24.
Police said the items were believed to have been stolen from properties at Allora and Leyburn and a large proportion of items, such as radios and antennas, had been removed from cars parked on the street.
A Warwick CIB spokesman said the Holthams were involved in a professional shoplifting syndicate and targeted stores in Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast on top of their crime spree at Allora and Leyburn.
The spokesman said the total value of the goods shoplifted by the family was also around $10,000.