A MAN covered in soot, who has been charged with breaking into a home which was destroyed by fire, will next week be sentenced to serve five months in jail.
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Aaron Pennell, also known as Van Someren, 33, of Owen Street, Warrnambool, appeared in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court charged with 29 offences for a contest mention hearing.
He accepted a sentence indication of the jail term to be followed by a community corrections order, the same penalty imposed on a co-offender.
Senior Constable Brooke Pollock previously told the court Mr Pennell was arrested in early July.
She said at 8.45am she and her partner went to Warrnambool's Ryan Court, where Pennell was in the driveway.
There was a warrant out for his arrest and Pennell was taken into custody.
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 the previous weekend.
There was also a receipt in the bag and security camera footage at a supermarket showed 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 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, a Pepsi can and investigations indicated seven cars had been broken into in Marlee Court, Mitchell Street and McGregors Road.
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.
Pennell is being assessed for his suitability to do a community corrections order and his case will be finalised on Monday next week.