South Australia’s dumbest crimes revealed
An alleged thief who left his mobile phone near the scene of the crime overnight has joined a long list of bizarre and inexplicable SA cases that have left police scratching – and shaking – their heads.
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An alleged thief who left a mobile phone near the scene of the crime is among dozens of inexplicable South Australian crimes in the past 18 months. Take a look at just some of the cases that left us shaking our heads.
An alleged thief led police to his doorstep after he left his phone near the house he robbed at Edwardstown.
A woman reported someone had entered her Fuller St home and stolen her handbag containing a phone, bank cards and car keys about 8pm Thursday, May 12.
The thief struck while the house was open as the victim was in the process of moving. Police attended and found the victim had left two mobile phones on the nearby footpath while fleeing on a bicycle.
An officer was able to use the phone to discover the offender’s identify, and patrols attended a nearby Edwardstown address and arrested the suspect, a man, 30.
He was charged with serious criminal trespass and theft. He did not apply for bail and was expected to face the Adelaide Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Police found the woman’s possessions at the man’s home and returned them.
THE BIG BIRD SAGA
There was a feeling of betrayal among the South Australian community when a large Big Bird costume was stolen from a Bonython Park circus.
After police and the owners of the feathered suit, Sesame Street Circus Spectacular, revealed it was worth $160,000 the thieves returned the costume and with it, a remorseful apology letter.
Two males were seen carrying the costume in the early hours of the morning on April 21, and dropped the costume near an electricity box on Port Rd.
The letter said: “We are so sorry! We had no idea what we were doing or what our actions would cause.”
The letter claimed they were trying to cheer themselves up and they had “a great time with Mr Bird … and no harm came to our friend”.
“Sorry to be such a big birden,” the letter said.
Tasman Binder, 22, and Cody Alain Milne, 26, were charged in relation to the theft and have appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court multiple times in recent months rocking 1970s outfits. They are yet to enter pleas.
A third suspect, Amelia Margaret Hurt, 20, of Woodville, was also charged.
She faced court in September and is yet to plead to a basic count of dishonestly dealing with property without consent.
THIEF FLASHES IN HILTON ROBBERY
A clumsy thief was captured on CCTV losing his pants while fleeing the scene of a violent robbery at The Hilton Hotel in March.
Two men, one armed with a knife, entered the gaming room where they threatened staff before leaving with cash.
Police rushed to the South Rd hotel after the alarm was raised and the men were last seen nearby on Mallen St.
One of the suspects tripped as the pair ran from the scene, with CCTV capturing the moment he flashed his bottom as he fell.
The suspects remain at large, with the one carrying the knife described as wearing at the time of the incident a black-hooded jumper, beige trousers and grey shoes, with beige workmen-style gloves.
The second suspect is described as having fair-coloured hands. He wore a black-hooded jumper, a grey tracksuit bottoms and white shoes. He had a black Nike backpack.
Anyone with information on the incident or the whereabouts of the suspects should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
WEED GROWER TELLS COPS ABOUT HIS CROP
A dope grower who made the “unusual” decision to call police after three plants were stolen from a northern suburbs property only succeeded in alerting the authorities to the rest of his commercial crop.
In the District Court in October, Anthony James Cooper, 26, received a suspended prison term of two years and one month for cultivating a commercial quantity of a controlled plant, possessing prescribed equipment and diverting electricity from a power system.
Cooper, who lives in Keith, had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing.
In sentencing, Judge Jo-Anne Deuter said the circumstances of his offending on September 19, 2019 at Elizabeth Vale were “unusual”.
An earlier submissions hearing had revealed the accused called police after he found three plants missing.
“The fact you brought police to your home, where you were illegally cultivating cannabis, demonstrates a significant lack of planning and thought on your behalf,” Judge Deuter said.
The court heard Cooper had cultivated the 18 “healthy and strong” plants – across three grow rooms – to service a “substantial” drug debt of around $7000.
MAN SWIMS FROM POLICE
A man busted trying to creatively board a paddle boat on the River Torrens using a wheelie bin he’d placed in the water had his fun ruined by police.
It was in the early hours of a Thursday morning in April police were notified of the man, who in turn upon noticing police, jumped into the river.
He eventually emerged after realising how cold the water was, and was arrested.
The Sellicks Beach man, 19, escaped with an adult caution, as police said jumping into the River Torrens was enough punishment for a day.
WOMAN CAUGHT WITHOUT LICENCE FOR EIGHT YEARS
A woman was arrested after police discovered she had not held a valid driver’s licence since 2013.
Police stopped the Volkswagen sedan on Zanker Drive at Mt Barker for a routine traffic check on February 23.
Inquiries revealed the driver, 31, of Mount Barker, did not have a current licence and nothing recorded since she held a learner’s permit in June 2013.
The woman was arrested and her car impounded for 28 days.
MAN CAUGHT AFTER SETTING HIMSELF ON FIRE
A man’s illegal activity was uncovered after he set himself on fire while trying to make cannabis oil.
Alexander John Trist, 29, was sentenced in the District Court which heard there was a fire at a Northfield house on May 9, 2018.
“You came out of the room yelling ‘help me’ with your clothes partially on fire and burns to your hands and face,” Judge Geraldine Davison said during sentencing.
Trist’s housemate called the fire brigade which attended and provided treatment to Trist.
Trist was treated for flash-burns to his neck, face and hands and was assessed as having 8 per cent of the surface of his body burned.
Police attended shortly after and saw that the rumpus room had been damaged in the fire.
“In that room, the police noticed an Esky that contained 35 butane canisters,” Judge Davison said.
Police found over 20g of cannabis oil.
Judge Davison sentenced Trist to a suspended two years and four months sentence, with a non-parole period of one year and four months on a good behaviour bond.
MAN KICKS CAR, PUNCHES POST
A confused motorist called police after seeing a man flykick an oncoming vehicle on a main thoroughfare in Port Pirie in March.
When police arrived, they found him punching a street sign.
He was arrested and further charged after refusing to provide correct details and being in possession of knuckle dusters.
The Port Pirie man, 32, was charged with disorderly behaviour and two counts of property damage among other charges.
CRIMINALS RAM PAY MACHINE
Police this year released a video in an effort to find two criminals who, after a failed attempt to steal a car wash pay machine, crashed into it.
The incident happened in November 2020, when two men used a drill in a bid to remove the machine at North East Rd, Windsor Gardens.
When they were unsuccessful, they used a white Peugeot with fake number plates and rammed the machine until it became dislodged.
They placed the machine into the rear of the car and drove off, dumping the empty machine on Scott St at Glynde.
The suspects were described as being of caucasian appearance, with one man slim with long scruffy hair wearing a cap with glasses, jeans a T-shirt and thongs.
The second man was described as having a large build, aged in his late 30s, with a bald head.
He was wearing a black top, black short s and sunglasses on the back of his neck.
DRIVER ALLEGEDLY ON METH INDECENTLY ASSAULTS OFFICER
A driver allegedly high on meth with a child in her car was arrested after allegedly indecently assaulting an officer at Port Elliot.
The car was seen driving on the wrong side of the road in February on Port Elliot Rd and was pulled over.
“Of great concern to police was that there was an unrestrained child on the rear seat,” a police spokesman said.
The local woman, 25, was tested and allegedly returned a positive result to meth.
She refused to provide her name and details and was placed under arrest, during which she allegedly indecently assaulted the officer.
The woman was charged with driving in a manner dangerous, driving under the influence, indecent assault and resisting arrest.
She also received an on-the-spot fine and drug diversion after she was found in possession of drug equipment.
Her car was defected and impounded for 28 days.
HOMEMADE CONVERTIBLE
A man who hadn’t held a licence for six years was arrested in style after he allegedly fashioned his own convertible and ran a red light while shouting at police in Glenelg.
The white Hyundai – which had its roof cut off to turn it into a makeshift convertible – was driving down Jetty Rd in the early hours of a Sunday morning in May when police spotted it.
The occupants of the car, which also had significant crash damage to its rear, launched a kamikaze verbal attack on the police before running a red light in front of them.
Police caught up with the car and pulled it over on Douglas Grove in Glenelg North.
They discovered the 25-year-old driver, from Elizabeth Downs, had not held a licence for six years and was on bail with a condition to not drive.
It was only then that police realised the vehicle was a standard sedan that had its roof cut off.
Joshua Dean Matthews, of Elizabeth Downs, was arrested and charged with driving unlicensed, failing to stop at a red light, breaching bail and breaching vehicle standards.
The car was defected and towed away.
Matthews pleaded guilty to the offences in July and was aggressive towards media out the front of court.
“Why are you pointing that camera at me, mate? How much does it cost? How would you feel if I smashed it on the ground?” he said.
WORST. BURGLARY. EVER.
In what the owner described as one of the “worst heists of all time”, a thief was captured on CCTV breaking into a city pizza restaurant and leaving a trail of fingerprints in his wake.
Josh River, who co-owns Remy’s Deep Dish Pizza and Bar on Lindes Lane off Rundle Mall, said the break-in was a blow to staff because the restaurant opened only three months prior to the theft which happened in May.
Mr River said he posted CCTV images to his business’s social media in an effort to help police in identifying the suspect, who appeared to be a man in his 20s, with dark brown hair, wearing black pants, a black and white long-sleeved top, a catering apron, and black shoes.
“Thankfully it’s got to be one of the worst heists of all time,” he wrote.
“It was pretty obvious there had been a break-in … it was a terrible break-in.
“There are so many of his fingerprints … the crime scene investigator almost ran out of fingerprint powder dusting for them.”
In the video, the suspect is seen casually taking cash from the till and taking bottles of what appear to be alcohol off the shelf.
“Just to top it off he took the cheapest bottle of gin, when he could have picked from plenty of other high-grade products.”
Mr River said more than $3000 worth of cash and products were taken, but the most disappointing loss was the tip jar.
METH IN DRIVER’S UNDIES, BONG IN BOOT
Police uncovered more than they bargained for in a traffic stop at Grange in July.
A car was stopped on Fredrick Rd and police, with the help of drug dog Yoyo, searched the man’s vehicle.
They uncovered two ice pipes, a bong, scales, cash, and an amount of cannabis inside.
A further search of the driver uncovered an amount of methamphetamine hidden in his underwear.
The Underdale man, 51, was arrested and charged with drug trafficking and hindering police.
DIGIMON THIEVES SELL THEMSELVES OUT
Hours after rare trading cards and board games were stolen from a city gaming store in Adelaide, the alleged thief returned with some of the goods, asking how much he could sell them for.
It was about 9.30am on Tuesday August 10 police were called to the business finding someone had forced their way into the shop, making off with a large number of Digimon trading cars and other games.
A suspect returned to the store with some of the missing cards about four hours later, inquiring about their value.
A staff member recognised the stolen cards immediately and called police.
After further inquiries, the suspect led police to a nearby house, where the majority of the cards and games were found, along with two other suspects.
About 3pm, a fourth suspect went to the store, also in possession of more stolen cards. He asked staff to value them so he could sell them, but was also arrested.
A Belair man, 41, an Adelaide woman, 30, an Adelaide man, 28, a Seaton man, 28, and a man of no fixed address, 41, were charged with numerous offences including serious criminal trespass, unlawful possession and theft by receiving.
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