Kennedy Stone sentenced in Ipswich Court for elaborate EB games shop theft
A court has heard the “insane” lengths an Ipswich tradie resorted to to play video games with his mates – including an elaborate stake-out of a Brisbane game shop headquarters.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An Ipswich tradie formed an elaborate plot to stake-out a Brisbane game shop because he wanted to play PlayStation with his mates.
Redbank Plains resident Kennedy Rubanga Stone, 21, pleaded guilty in Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on August 25, 2023, to two counts of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence, two counts of fraud, and driving without a licence (demerit point suspended).
The court heard Stone had stolen from EB Games headquarters in Eagle Farm on two occasions last November.
Magistrate Kathleen Payne said on November 18, Stone had dressed in an employee uniform to avoid suspicion.
She said he then waited until the store closed and “helped himself” to a PlayStation.
The court head Stone had previously stolen an Xbox from the same store on November 1.
He then sold both consoles on Facebook using a false account.
Stone represented himself in court and explained he had “wanted to play PlayStation” with his mates.
He had completed grade 12, had no criminal history, and worked as an apprentice plumber.
Magistrate Kathleen Payne told him it was “completely unacceptable” that he resorted to such means to “satisfy (his) own desires”.
“It’s insane. Time to wake up, as an adult in this community,” she said.
Ms Payne told Stone he appeared to have a lot of promise, and warned him that the courts took such offending very seriously.
“The maximum penalty for that enter premises is 14 years,” she said.
Stone told the court he was disappointed in himself and felt ashamed of his actions – having had nearly a year to reflect since the offending itself.
He was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid community service, to be completed within nine months.
He was further ordered to pay restitution for both stolen consoles.
His licence was suspended for six months for the disqualified drive, for which he was also fined $450.
No convictions were recorded.
‘Friend to many’: Man killed, cattle put down after B-double horror
Tributes for a 56-year-old man killed in a collision with a B-double cattle truck car on the Warrego Highway.
Teacher suspended after child exploitation material allegations
An Ipswich high school teacher facing child exploitation materials charges has been suspended, but he remained on bail despite allegedly breaching its conditions.