A serial thief who stole three TVs by wheeling them out of a store in a trolley in broad daylight has been sentenced to four months’ jail.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Nathan Lucas Robertson-Ainsworth, 25, of Warrnambool, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to multiple counts of shop theft and driving-related offences.
He was sentenced to four months’ jail with 34 days counted as time served. His licence was disqualified for four years.
The court heard Robertson-Ainsworth suffered from schizophrenia and self-medicated with alcohol and drugs.
On June 21 Robertson-Ainsworth attended Aldi supermarket at Warrnambool’s Gateway Plaza and stole about $300 worth of items.
He was later intercepted driving his partner’s car on Lava Street.
He told police he had never held a driver's licence and the vehicle was impounded.
Police said a preliminary oral fluid test gave a “very fast reaction to methyl amphetamine” but Robertson-Ainsworth refused to attend the police station for an evidentiary test.
Then on June 24 he attended the same Aldi supermarket and placed two 40 inch TVs valued at $299 in a trolley. He waited for someone to open the front entry door and left, bypassing staff and security gates.
The following day he attended the store again and placed another TV in a trolley about 12pm. A friend opened the front door and they left the building.
At 12.20pm Robertson-Ainsworth was intercepted by police walking on Warrnambool’s Jellies Court. He was still pushing the trolley with the TV inside.
He told police he had one of the TVs at home and had given another way in order to recover a drug debt.
Then on September 24 he was observed on CCTV footage stealing four socket sets valued at $605 from Warrnambool’s Bunnings Warehouse.
Police said Mr Robertson-Ainsworth denied the theft despite clear CCTV footage showing him at the store wearing the same t-shirt he wore while signing in on bail at the police station.
Magistrate Franz Holzer ordered he pay over $1000 restitution.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.
