15 Gladstone thieves exposed for their crimes
Woolworths, Bunnings, BCF and even Ergon Energy were among the businesses to fall victim to these Gladstone region thieves.
Police & Courts
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Thieves cost Gladstone region businesses and the community tens of thousands of dollars every year - here are some of the offenders who didn’t get away with their crimes.
Matt Owen James Moon, 34
Moon was banned from every Woolworths store in Gladstone when he kept flogging stuff from its supermarkets in defiance of his bail, a court heard.
Moon appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to charges including four counts of stealing, trespass, breaching bail, and possessing dangerous drugs.
The court heard that Moon had an eight-page criminal record “littered with” stealing offences.
In relation to some of the stealing offences before the court, Moon stole products from Woolworths stores at Gladstone on December 12 last year and January 15 this year.
During sentencing, Magistrate Mary Buchanan noted that since November 8 last year, Moon had been convicted of 19 stealing offences, as well as other dishonesty offences and drug offences.
She sentenced Moon to eight months’ jail, declared 56 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served, and fixed immediate parole.
Moon was also fined $300 and convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Daniel George Pershouse, 40
Pershouse teamed up with another person to pull off a brazen $16,000 BCF theft, a court heard.
Pershouse appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to numerous charges including seven counts of fraud, one count of enter premises and commit indictable offence, two counts of stealing, and two counts of possessing dangerous drugs.
The court heard Pershouse’s offending happened while he was on a suspended sentence.
In relation to the BCF theft, Pershouse went to a BCF store with a male co-offender.
The court heard that staff there were unpacking pallets of new products at the back dock area.
The workers were called away for about four minutes and they left the back dock unattended.
When they returned, they saw numerous items missing and things strewn across the floor, so they called police.
The court heard Pershouse and his co-offender escaped with a haul of $16,126 worth of gear including electronic fish finding and GPS equipment.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan activated the suspended sentence in full and sentenced Pershouse to 19 months’ jail.
She declared 18 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served and fixed parole release at April 23, 2025.
Pershouse was ordered to pay $8704 restitution and convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Shaqeal Joseph Bligh, 28
Bligh stole a set of golf clubs from a player at Gladstone Golf Club and hocked them.
He pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to one count each of stealing and fraud.
The court heard that on March 22, a man finished a round of golf at Gladstone Golf Club and he left his clubs outside the pro shop.
Sometime later, when the golfer returned to collect his clubs, he saw they were gone and he reported the theft to police.
The court heard that Bligh stole the clubs and sold them at a Cash Converters store for $220.
It was told Bligh, with dishonesty offending on his criminal history, was on an extended suspended jail sentence at the time of this offending.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan activated the suspended sentence and sentenced Bligh to three months’ jail with immediate parole.
She also ordered he pay $220 compensation and convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Ainsley Elizabeth Watson, 49
Watson targeted the same Gladstone Woolworths store twice in a matter of weeks.
She pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to two counts of stealing after previous conviction.
In relation to the first offence, the court heard Watson and a co-offender stole $120 worth of groceries from Woolworths Kin Kora.
During the second offence at the same store weeks later, Watson and the same co-offender stole $60 worth of groceries.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan fined Watson $750 and ordered she pay $90 compensation.
Convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Marion Lee Kay, 25
Kay, a single mum of three with a six-page criminal history, committed her thefts while on an extended suspended sentence for similar offending.
She pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to three counts of stealing.
The court heard Kay stole $287.95 of items including perfume, skincare and haircare products, and a wallet, from a Gladstone pharmacy, a chemist and a surf shop in July and November last year.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan activated the suspended sentence and sentenced Kay to two months’ jail with immediate parole.
She also ordered Kay pay $287.95 restitution.
Convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Michael Scott Ferry, 37
Ferry stole from cars to fund his drug addiction and was given a suspended jail term.
He pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to 14 charges including three counts of stealing, one count each of attempted stealing and wilful damage, and multiple counts of breaching bail.
The court heard that Ferry stole registration plates from a vehicle at New Auckland and a Yeti water bottle from the tray of a ute.
On another day, again in New Auckland, Ferry searched a toolbox in a victim’s vehicle and stole items including $100 worth of copper fittings.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced Ferry to three months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months.
She also placed him on 12 months’ probation and convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Neville Joseph Johnson, 49
During his stealing spree, Johnson targeted Gladstone businesses Bunnings, Big W, Coles and United Petroleum.
Some of his stealing offences happened while he was on parole for similar offending.
He pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to charges including six counts of stealing, and one count each of receiving tainted property and serious assault of a police officer causing bodily harm.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced Johnson to nine months’ jail, declared 36 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served, and fixed parole eligibility for June 1, 2025.
Convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Charles Robert Wagener, 27
Wagener stole 80 parcels while working as a courier for Australia Post.
He pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to stealing by clerks and servants.
The court heard that Wagener was working as a contracted courier for Australia Post when he picked up 80 parcels from the Gladstone depot in Chapple Street, and rather than deliver them to their rightful owners, he took them home to his place.
There, he opened the 80 parcels before subsequently returning them to the Chapple Street depot.
The court heard when Wagener returned the parcels to the depot, Australia Post management reported the matter to police.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced him to four months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 18 months.
A conviction was recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Tyson Allerick Vonderwall, 27
The painter stole from a Boyne Island man’s home while working on it.
Vonderwall pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to three counts of fraud, two counts of entering premises and committing an indictable offence, and one count of entering dwelling and commit.
The court heard that on October 31 last year, Vonderwall stole a jump starter pack from the man’s home and went to Cash Converters Gladstone where he pawned it for $100.
Then on November 18, Vonderwall stole power tools from the man’s home and pawned them at Cash Converters Gladstone for $200.
Just two days later, Vonderwall stole more power tools from the man’s home and again took them to Cash Converters where he sold them for $160.
Acting Magistrate Nigel Rees sentenced Vonderwall to six months’ jail, wholly suspended for 12 months, and ordered he pay $460 restitution.
Convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Justin Woodrow, 25
Woodrow’s stealing offence happened on February 9 this year and involved him taking $300 worth of meat products from a Woolworths store at Kin Kora without paying.
He pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to threatening violence, fraud - dishonestly make off without paying, possessing a knife in public, stealing and obstructing police.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan ordered Woodrow perform 100 hours of unpaid community service and pay $300 restitution for the stolen meat products.
Convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Jessica Kate Rawlings, 40 & Allen Michael Franklin, 39
The pair teamed up to steal $1700 worth of products from a Bunnings store.
Rawlings pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to stealing, fraud, possessing suspected stolen property, breaching bail, failing to appear in court and contravening a probation order.
Franklin pleaded guilty in the same court to stealing.
Rawlings was sentenced to three months’ jail, wholly suspended for an operational period of 12 months, and fined $1500.
Franklin was sentenced to two months’ jail with immediate parole.
Both had convictions recorded.
Read Rawlings’ FULL STORY.
Read Franklin’s FULL STORY.
Jason Jay Larner, 46,
Larner and a co-offender stole a car from Gladstone business Butler Partners.
The duo then drove the stolen vehicle to Gladstone Golf Club where they smashed a rear door to gain entry to the premises.
Larner appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a motor vehicle, entering premises with intent, and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Acting Magistrate Nigel Rees sentenced Larner to 12 months’ jail, declared 87 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served, and fixed immediate parole.
Convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Alana Maree Parks, 43
Parks stole a wallet in a brazen pokies’ room theft and was given a suspended jail sentence.
She pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to stealing.
The court heard that Parks attended a gaming room at Gladstone’s Young Australian Hotel.
Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd said Parks walked to a vacant chair which had a wallet on it, picked up the wallet and put it in her handbag.
Mr Boyd said the wallet contained $700 cash and cards.
The prosecutor said the incident was captured on CCTV footage.
Mr Boyd said Parks, during questioning later, told police she took $160 cash from the wallet and spent it.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced Parks to eight months’ jail, fixing immediate parole release.
Convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
Bradley Colin Saunders, 28
A trio of Central Queensland copper thieves targeted an Ergon Energy compound and were captured on CCTV security cameras, a court heard.
One of those was Saunders who pleaded guilty in Gladstone Magistrates Court to charges including enter premises by break and commit indictable offence.
The court heard that Saunders and two co-offenders went to an Ergon Energy storage compound at Miriam Vale where they cut a hole in the wire perimeter fence to gain entry.
Police prosecutor Kelvin Boyd said the trio stole copper from scrap bins inside the compound with the incident being captured on CCTV security footage.
Magistrate Mary Buchanan fined Saunders $800 and convictions were recorded.
Read the FULL STORY.
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