Gladstone couch surfing meth user Samuel Kafoa sentenced for stealing

A “couch surfing” Gladstone meth user who targeted Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse stores during his stealing spree plans to get a job and move back in with his parents.

A Gladstone thief targeted the same Woolworths store twice in the space of a week. Generic image.

A man who struggled with meth use and got into trouble while “couch surfing” has been sentenced for a series of stealing crimes where he targeted Woolworths and Chemist Warehouse stores.

Samuel George Kafoa, 25, appeared in custody in Gladstone Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to charges including three counts of stealing and one count each of possessing drug utensils, and failing to properly dispose of a syringe.

The court heard the first stealing offence involved Kafoa targeting Chemist Warehouse at Clinton.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Jessica McLaren said Kafoa stole $67.93 worth of items from that store including perfume, body spray and jewellery.

Kafoa’s next victim was Woolworths Kin Kora where he stole about $50 worth of groceries.

Then just a week later, Kafoa targeted the same Woolworths store again, this time stealing $100 worth of groceries.

The court heard that on a different day, Kafoa was a passenger in a vehicle when police caught him with an uncapped, used syringe in his clothing.

Another day, Kafoa was again a passenger in a vehicle when police found him in possession of two glass pipes.

Gladstone Courthouse.

The court heard that Kafoa had a three-page criminal history and all of these latest offences were committed while he was on a suspended sentence for unlike offending.

Solicitor Cam Schroder said Kafoa had been “couch surfing” at friend’s homes and that “gets him into trouble.”

Mr Schroder said Kafoa knew he had “gone off the rails” and that he needed to continue with the drug counselling he was getting for his methamphetamine use.

The solicitor said once Kafoa was released from custody, he planned to live with his parents at Gladstone, and he had a job to go to with a rail maintenance company.

On April 10, Magistrate Mary Buchanan sentenced Kafoa to four months’ jail, she activated part of the suspended sentence, declared 27 days’ pre-sentence custody as time already served, and fixed immediate parole release.

She ordered Kafoa pay $217.93 restitution and she also fined him $700.

Convictions were recorded.