A convicted drug dealer who stole tools and petrol from a south-west shire depot has been ordered to do unpaid community work.
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Teira Ripohau, 28, of Curdie Street, Cobden, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to burglary, theft and drug driving.
Between May 31 and June 3, Ripohau attended the Corangamite Shire depot in Camperdown's Manifold Street.
A co-accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, forced open a sliding window to gain access to a work shed.
He then handed property, including a hedge trimmer, chainsaw, power broom and shovel, to Ripohau who packed it into the co-accused's vehicle.
They then drove to Ripohau's mother's house and placed the stolen goods into a shed.
A search warrant executed at the property on June 14 located the stolen tools.
Lawyer Xavier Farrelly said the pair were travelling to pick up the co-accused's dog, they ran out of petrol and decided to steal fuel from the depot.
"They then decided to grab a number of other items too," he said.
Mr Farralley said his client did not enter the depot shed and the stolen goods had since been returned.
He said Ripohau's criminal history included drug trafficking but no matters of dishonesty.
Magistrate Franz Holzer said Ripohau was "on his last chance".
He placed him on a 12-month community corrections order with the condition he do 100 hours of community work.
Ripohau was also caught driving with meth in his system on Warrnambool's Raglan Parade at 10.10pm on October 12 last year. He told police he thought it would be out of his system.
He was fined $600 and his licence was cancelled for 12 months.
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