Tara Brandsden-Bayliss, Ipswich, sentenced for $35k Logan jewellery theft

A crafty duo fled Logan Hyperdome with $35,000-worth of jewellery that they swiped from right under the staff’s noses – but their bold plan quickly landed them in court.

Tara Leisha Lee Brandsden-Bayliss, 19. Picture: Facebook

A court has heard how an aspiring Ipswich PT swiped $35,000 of jewellery and $1298 of toys in a stealing spree that spanned three Southeast Queensland cities.

Leichhardt resident Tara Leisha Lee Brandsden-Bayliss, 19, pleaded guilty on February 24 at Ipswich Magistrates Court to seven charges including two counts of entering a premises and committing an indictable offence, stealing, driving while disqualified, driving with a relevant drug present in her system, breaching bail, and contravening a direction or requirement of police.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Nick Turnbull said the most serious offence was one of the enter premises charges, in which Brandsden-Bayliss and another woman stole from Angus & Coote at Logan Hyperdome on August 15, 2022.

Magistrate Andy Cridland said the duo entered the jewellery store pretending to be customers, and asked to see a tray of gold chains from a cabinet.

The staff removed the tray, but refused to let Brandsden-Bayliss or her co-offender hold it when they asked.

Mr Cridland said the duo left the store for a short time, before the co-offender went back in and swiped the whole tray from the counter while Brandsden-Bayliss kept watch at the door.

A staff member saw and tried to grab the tray, but the co-offender managed to get away, and the duo fled from the shopping centre.

Mr Cridland said the jewellery taken had a total value of $35,000.

The court heard it was unknown what percentage of the jewellery was recovered, but that police were able to locate at least two necklaces.

Brandsden-Bayliss’s co-offender was sentenced to 23 months imprisonment for the offence, but the court heard she was older, had a more relevant criminal history than Brandsden-Bayliss, and was also on parole at the time.

Brandsden-Bayliss’s other offences included stealing $1298 worth of items from Mr Toys Toyworld in Capalaba on July 4, 2022, and also stealing from TK Maxx Helensvale on July 18, 2022.

Defence lawyer Dylan Hans said his client had a “troubling” upbringing, but had the support of her foster mum in court.

He said his client had recently started a certificate 3 in sports and recreation, with hopes of becoming a personal trainer, and that she had also started going to counselling with Anglicare since her offending.

Mr Hans argued a sentence of actual imprisonment would “undermine” the benefit of counselling, whereas immediate parole would give her “one last opportunity” to “get her act together”.

Mr Cridland said the majority of Brandsden-Bayliss’s could ordinarily be dealt with without a sentence of imprisonment, but the jewellery theft was “extremely serious” and took her offending “to another level”.

Brandsden-Bayliss received a head sentence of 18 months imprisonment, with immediate parole.

She was also disqualified from driving for two years and three months for the traffic offences, and convictions were recorded.