Demi Nash, 26, of Raglan Parade, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates court charged with theft, handling stolen goods, possessing proceeds of crime and driving while disqualified. 

Lawyer Amanda Chambers said Nash suffered from substance abuse issues and had found herself in custody for the second time. 

She said Nash had organised to be admitted into a rehabilitation facility “off her own back” upon her release. 

Magistrate Franz Holzer sentenced Nash to the 65 days she had already spent in custody on remand, stating that if not for her guilty plea she would have been sentenced to 120 days. 

“From here, the future is in your hands entirely,” he said. 

On October 27, Nash allegedly entered Colac's Super Cheap Auto about 2pm and stole a dash camera and car stereo head unit, valued at $594.

She left the store and was observed getting into the drivers seat of a black Mazda CX7. 

Then on November 5, Warrnambool police observed the same vehicle driving on Raglan Parade near the Flying Horse BP service station at 12.25am. 

Checks revealed the registration plates had been stolen from a vehicle parked at St Albans Park in Geelong.

On December 13, a search warrant was executed at Nash's property about 11am.

Police located a tandem box trailer and painting equipment worth $4000 stored in the garage. 

The court heard the trailer belonged to a Warrnambool painter, who reported it stolen from the driveway of a Batterbee Street property between December 7 and 10.

Nash attended Warrnambool police station by request on December 15 and was subsequently arrested.

She told police she had stolen from Super Cheap Auto because she “wasn't in a good place”.

She said she knew the registration plates and trailer were stolen but denied stealing them herself. 

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