Woman fined $500 after bewildering offending in Warrnambool CBD

A former Warrnambool woman who was arrested and charged on Tuesday for stealing from shops has been fined after going and doing the same thing about an hour after being released on bail.

Joelene Lee, 33, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Wednesday to six charges relating to stealing from shops and breaching bail.

She was convicted and fined $500.

Lawyer Xavier Farrelly said his client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He said Lees took the items because she said "she felt like it", but the lawyer explained he had trouble obtaining instructions about the underlying cause.

"I took them and I got caught," Lee was reported to have told her lawyer.

Mr Farrelly said there were no drug, alcohol or mental health issues and no explanation had been provided for the offending.

Lee previously lived in Warrnambool, has been living at St Kilda for three or four years, but returned to Warrnambool on Tuesday.

The court heard that items that had not been reported stolen had also been recovered by police.

Magistrate Daniel Muling said Lee had pleaded guilty and spent a night in the Warrnambool police station cells.

He said Lee had not thought about the impact of stealing things from various retail outlets.

The magistrate said retailers had been subject to the COVID pandemic during the last two and half years, which had made it a lot more difficult for them to make ends meet.

"Clearly we're not at the point of imprisonment, but to get caught, arrested, released and less than an hour later being back doing the same thing is very concerning," he said.

Police prosecutor Carolyn Howe told the court that at 10.30am Tuesday Lee attended at Jeans West and stole a jacket from a clothing rack outside the store before leaving without paying.

She also went to Target and stole a scarf, a green jacket, beanie, jeans, perfume, a wallet, hair brush and a leather bag.

A Jeans West staff member called police, who attended and arrested Lee in Koroit Street.

She was taken back to the Warrnambool police station where she was interviewed, charged with two counts of theft and released on bail to appear at Warrnambool court on December 5.

But, about an hour after being released Lee was back in trouble.

The court heard that at 3.15pm Lee attended at the Willow and Sage store in Koroit Street where she stole a cardigan valued at $59.95.

A staff member observed the theft, ran after Lee and confronted her 200 metres away in Timor Street, demanding the return of the item.

Lee dropped the cardigan and the theft was again reported to police, who arrested Lee nearby at 4.10pm.

A search of Lee and her possessions located five tea towels, two pairs of jeans, check pants and a pink carry bag.

She was interviewed, charged and remanded in custody to appear in curt on Wednesday when she pleaded guilty to offences.

Earlier: A 33-year-old Melbourne woman was arrested twice in Warrnambool on Tuesday for thefts from shops, the second time by a sergeant on mobile foot patrol duty.

A police spokesman said the woman was arrested about 10.30am after allegedly stealing items at the Target and Jeans West stores.

She was interviewed, charged and released on bail just after lunch to appear in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court at a later date.

Then about 3.15pm the same woman is alleged to have taken a cardigan off a rack outside a store in the central business district.

A shop assistant followed the woman for about 200 metres, confronted her and demanded the cardigan back, which was returned.

A report was made to police and at 4.10pm a police sergeant arrested the woman after seeing someone matching the reported description.

She was found in possession of other items that are also believed to have been stolen.

The woman was taken back to the Warrnambool police station where she was interviewed, charged and remanded in custody to appear in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Wednesday for a bail/remand hearing.

It's understood the woman has only minimal prior court appearances but does have charges pending relating to drug and theft matters.

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