Two men accused of ramming Warrnambool's Gateway Plaza, leaving a $105,000 damage bill, were heavily drug-affected and wearing a homemade balaclava and clown mask, a court heard.
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Levi Tihi, 22, of Penshurst, appeared in Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Friday charged with burglary and criminal damage.
The court heard on March 28, Mr Tihi allegedly drove to Warrnambool's Gateway Plaza in a 2010 Ford Ranger utility with co-accused Tyrone Brown, 37, of Hamilton.
Warrnambool police Detective Senior Constable Derek Verity alleged Mr Tihi drove through the west entrance of the building just before midnight and drove around the plaza before attempting to leave through the north foyer.
He said the vehicle became stuck inside the foyer and CCTV showed Mr Tihi failing to reverse back into the plaza a number of times.
He said Mr Brown was observed exiting the vehicle and giving Mr Tihi directions.
Mr Tihi and Mr Brown then swapped seats and the co-accused drove through a number of support beams before reversing back into the plaza, the detective said.
The vehicle was then allegedly seen travelling south, smashing through another set of doors and a concrete bollard.
The detective alleged CCTV footage showed the two men wearing clothes that were later found at their property during a search warrant.
He said Mr Brown was wearing a homemade balaclava and Mr Tihi a clown mask.
He said the pair also had similar, distinctive tattoos to those seen in the footage.
The court heard police later found the vehicle abandoned nearby. A search uncovered health care cards belonging to the two accused.
The pair were arrested on March 31 and conveyed to Warrnambool police station.
Mr Brown made full admissions to the offending, stating he was heavily drug affected after the pair used GHB earlier that day.
Mr Tihi made a no comment interview.
He is currently undergoing a corrections order for driving offences, including dangerous and negligent driving and evading police.
During a bail application, lawyer Morgan Adams said Mr Tihi was a young offender who faced the possibility of spending more time in custody than he would be sentenced to, if not released on bail.
He said Mr Tihi's father was willing to provide the court with a $650 surety.
But magistrate Mark Stratmann said Mr Tihi was an unacceptable risk of further offending and endangering the community.
He remanded the man in custody until June 19.
Mr Brown was granted bail on Tuesday on the grounds he would attend a residential drug rehabilitation facility in Melbourne.
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