Newcomb man Travis Stahl busted with firearm after ignoring $20 taxi fare

A Newcomb man who didn’t pay his $20 fare ended up with firearm charges when a driver found a homemade gun inside a bag he left behind.

Travis Stahl left a bag in the back of a taxi that had a homemade firearm and shotgun shells inside. Picture: Facebook.

A Newcomb man who left his bag in a taxi and walked away without paying the $20 fare ended up facing firearm charges when the driver found shotgun shells and a homemade gun inside.

Travis Stahl’s costly decision to leave the taxi after it dropped him in front of his Andrews St home in June 2018 led to police discovering the homemade firearm and several loose shotgun shells inside the duffel bag he abandoned in the back seat of the cab.

The driver tried to return the bag a week later but when no one was home, he and his girlfriend searched inside and found the shells.

Stahl, 36, pleaded guilty to the firearm charges, obtaining financial advantage by deception, and driving while under the influence of methylamphetamine in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday.

The court heard Stahl was also a prohibited person at the time he was found with the gun due to a previous prison sentence.

Police said the firearm was made of two poles that fit together to fire shotgun shells. It was found in two parts.

Travis Stahl used his brother’s identification information to apply for a loan. Picture: Facebook.

Months before the gun was discovered, Stahl used identification information belonging to his brother to apply for a person loan.

His brother discovered this when he found a $2631 debt.

Stahl was also caught for driving an unregistered car in Ocean Grove in March 2019 while under the influence of methylamphetamine.

His defence lawyer, Patrick Byrne, said Stahl has been “drug free” since the offending but did not have any proof of this.

“You know how many people tell me they don’t do drugs in this court? Nearly everybody, and the only people I believe are the police officers,” Magistrate John Bentley told Mr Byrne.

Mr Byrne also added Stahl has not offended since.

Mr Bentley said he could not use the significant time since the offending as a defence because Stahl “put his head in the sand” and had been avoiding court appearances.

He had also “done nothing” on his community corrections orders.

Mr Bentley remanded Stahl into custody overnight and will return Tuesday morning with a sentencing.

“I’ll make my mind up about whether he needs to spend more time in custody,” Mr Bentley said.

Originally published as Newcomb man Travis Stahl busted with firearm after ignoring $20 taxi fare