A WARRNAMBOOL man who says he stole mobile phones from the Red Rooster car park has been placed on a community corrections order.
Matthew Rogitsch, 30, of Fenton Street, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Tuesday to theft and obtaining property by deception.
The court heard Rogitsch was employed with Allens Freight Warrnambool when inquiries were made in February by a tracking company to locate six mobile phones which were meant to be sent to the Telstra Shop in Koroit Street.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Paul Harris said it was then detected that three of the phones had been used in the Warrnambool area.
He said police located a woman who had one of the phones and then learnt her partner, Rogitsch, was employed at Allens Freight.
When interviewed by police, Rogitsch said he found the parcel at Red Rooster car park and gave the phones to his friends, as well as selling one.
He said the reason he didn’t return the parcel to Allens Freight or the Telstra Shop was stupidity.
Defence lawyer Amanda Chambers said she had been in the legal game long enough not to believe in coincidences, but she said Rogitsch maintained he had found the parcel at Red Rooster.
She said Rogitsch had been sacked from Allens Freight and the theft was opportunity based.
Magistrate Jonathan Klestadt said he shared Ms Chambers’ cynicism and he found Rogitsch’s version of events difficult to accept.
He said he had already suffered an appropriate penalty given his work dismissal but he said the effect it may have on his future could be more severe.
Rogitsch was convicted and placed on a community corrections order to do 100 hours of community work.
