Chris Lee Ingram pleads guilty to stealing, unlawful use of a motor vehicle

A man is behind bars after it was revealed he smuggled out $10,000 worth of Bunnings tools underneath a child in a pram.

A do-it-yourself dad used a baby pram to stash thousands of dollars in stolen tools and batteries underneath a toddler in a Bunnings stolen goods bonanza, a court has heard this week.

Ipswich Magistrates Court heard the Ipswich dad of four struck several hardware stores in different locations, with the total value of the loot adding up to more than $10,000.

Chris Ingram is now behind bars after being sentenced to a 14-month jail term, but the single dad will get out much sooner with much of the sentence to hang as an incentive to behave.

It was left to Ingram’s lawyer Greg Ploetz in the late afternoon to wheel away his client’s bicycle, which the convicted thief had left parked outside Ipswich Courthouse.

Chris Lee Ingram, 36, pleaded guilty to more than 30 charges including six counts of stealing; five counts of stealing after previous conviction; two counts of attempting to steal; two counts of disqualified driving; driving when under the influence (methylamphetamine); unlawful use of a stolen motor vehicle in Redbank Plains on February 24; three counts of fraud; failing to dispose safely of used needle/syringe; two counts of being in possession of dangerous drugs; breach of a probation order; and failing to appear at court.

Prosecutor Sergeant Nicholas Turnbull said in one stealing offence Ingram was seen to unload a baby’s pram outside a Bunnings store at Acacia Ridge on January 24.

He pushed the pram with a child down various aisles to where Makita brand power tools were displayed.

The court heard tools were removed from the boxes and the batteries taken and placed in the pram with Ingram putting the child on top of the goods.

Sgt Turnbull said Ingram put the boxes back on the shelves, and after paying for some cheaper items he wheeled the secreted batteries and goods worth $6604 out to his car.

Magistrate Andy Cridland put on the public record details of another crime where Ingram again pushed a pram with a child through Bunnings at West Ipswich on March 13.

Mr Cridland said Ingram used a bolt cutter to break the security link and stole Makita tools valued at $1056 that were again put into the pram beneath the child and pushed from the store.

He used the self-checkout and scanned some other items for a lesser amount.

The court heard Ingram was finally arrested at Indooroopilly outside a Bunnings store on March 21.

Ingram was said to owe more than $10,000 in restitution.

The court heard that in another unrelated offence, Ingram was seen at Redbank Plains on February 24 driving a Nissan Navara that had reportedly been stolen from a woman.

Police noticed the ute because its rear window was smashed. The steering column was also found to be damaged.

Defence barrister Daniel Boddice said his criminality was reflective of having drug issues.

He said it was open to the court to not send him into jail as he needed significant help with his drug addiction.

Mr Boddice said Ingram was on a disability pension and the sole carer to four children, and would have no capacity to pay $10,000 restitution.

Mr Cridland said it had been deliberate offending, was an escalation in his bad behaviour, noting he had previously received three suspended sentences.

Ingram was sentenced to various jail terms totalling 14 months. He will serve three months and be released to parole on November 16.

He was also disqualified from driving for at least three years.

No restitution order was made