A MAN covered in soot, who has been charged with breaking into a home which was destroyed by fire, has now been remanded in custody.
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Aaron Pennell, also known as Van Someren, 33, of Owen Street, Warrnambool, unsuccessfully applied for bail in the Warranmbool Magistrates Court charged with 29 offences.
Magistrate Cynthia Toose remanded Mr Pennell in custody until August 7, saying he was an unacceptable risk of failing to appear in court and also continuing to commit offences.
Senior Constable Brooke Pollock told the court Mr Pennell was arrested on Sunday.
She said at 8.45am she and her partner went to Warrnambool's Ryan Court where Mr Pennell was in the driveway.
There was a warrant out for his arrest and Mr Pennell was taken into custody.
Mr Pennell was asked to turn out his pockets and what he had in his pockets was covered in soot and ash.
Police allege Mr Pennell had been in a house which had burnt down in the past couple of months searching for items of value.
Senior Constable Pollock said the former resident of the home contacted police after finding a bag containing a firearm which was stolen at Purnim during the weekend.
There was also a receipt in the bag and security camera footage at a supermarket showed Mr Pennell had been at Coles.
On June 18 Mr Pennell and a co-accused were in the Wanstead Street area when police received reports of two men breaking into cars.
When approached by police Mr Pennell had black gloves, two diaries believed to be stolen from one of the cars, as well as a backpack, tyre lever, pliers and a shifter.
The co-accused had mail from other victims, six Pepsi cans and investigations indicated seven cars had been broken into in Marlee Court, Mitchell Street and McGregors Road.
Mr Pennell was also alleged to have been involved in a burglary at Warrnambool College on January 30 with two other offenders during which an iPad and laptop computer were stolen.
Security camera footage of the burglary was released and a number of people identified Mr Pennell.
He admitted using speed at 4am Sunday.
Mr Pennell said he did not have possession of the stolen items and he would be pleading not guilty to the majority of charges.
"I must be sick in the head to go around doing things I don't know about," he said.
In refusing bail the magistrate said there were no conditions which could be put in place to adequately reduce the risk of Mr Pennell further offending.
