Geelong mum Karli Bell pleads guilty to weapons charges

Investigators recovered more than just two stolen designer handbags when Karli Bell was caught stealing from Myer, finding an extendible baton, pocket knife and metal spike.

Karli Bell fronted Geelong Magistrates Court and pleaded guilty to weapons charges.

A Geelong mum trying to pinch designer handbags was caught with an assortment of weapons, including an extendible baton.

Karli Bell fronted Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to weapons charges.

Bell was caught trying to steal from Myer in Geelong’s CBD on November 3 last year.

Store security guards spotted Bell crouched down in the women’s handbag section of the department store.

Bell pinched a white Guess handbag and a Tommy Hilfiger handbag before heading through the men’s section and towards the exit.

The security guards were hot on her tail and watched her leave the store without making any attempt to pay for the two bags, which totalled $488.

Security intercepted Bell at the front of the store and confronted her about the thefts.

Bell confessed to her thievery and returned the handbags.

When she was searched, officers found a pocket knife, an extendible baton and a short metal spike in her possession.

Bell offered several excuses for the weapons, saying she didn’t know she was in possession of the baton, the knife wasn’t hers and a friend had put the metal spike in her bag.

When asked the reason for the thefts, Bell said she was stressed due to being “cut off from Centrelink”.

Bell was fined $700 for the thefts and the weapons were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.

The court also heard Bell failed to answer bail three times for previous offences.

These charges were proven and dismissed.

Magistrate Simon Guthrie told Bell her offending was just a “blip on the radar” compared to her otherwise good behaviour.

“You are better than this and you are smarter than this,” he said.

Originally published as Geelong mum Karli Bell pleads guilty to weapons charges