Andrew Skordas, Faith Copland sentenced for Bunnings, Big W thefts

With a pram and sneaky tactics at a self-service checkout, a young Queensland couple stole almost $1000 worth of stuff from Bunnings and Big W — see why they didn’t get away with it.

A couple didn’t get away with their theft from a Yeppoon Bunnings store. Generic image.

A young Central Queensland couple has faced court after stealing almost $1000 worth of products from Bunnings and Big W stores.

Andrew Skordas, 24, and Faith Elizabeth Anne Copland, 23, each pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on Thursday to two counts of stealing.

The court heard the couple targeted the respective businesses at Yeppoon in the space of just days.

Police prosecutor Mirren Smith said Skordas and Copland attended Big W in Yeppoon Central Shopping Centre on May 4, where they walked around the store with their young children, pushing a pram.

Ms Smith said both Skordas and Copland collected items from the shelves including headphones, Xbox controllers, laptop stands, computer mouses and chocolate, and put them “in and on top of” the pram.

They then went to a self-service checkout machine where they pretended to scan 10 items worth $486 and left without paying.

Ms Smith said the couple was confronted by Big W staff at the front of the store but they refused to be “bag checked” and walked off with the stolen products.

Then on May 12, the couple went to Bunnings, again with the children and the pram.

Ms Smith said they concealed four items including an air-compressor and socket set, total worth $428, in the pram and left the store having only paid for a bottle of soft drink.

The prosecutor said a Bunnings staff member approached Copland as she left the store and Copland refused to let them check the pram, instead becoming aggressive.

The court heard Skordas had no similar offending on his criminal history and Copland had no history at all.

Solicitor Stephanie Nicholas said Skordas was receiving a disability pension and Copland was on Centrelink benefits.

Magistrate Cameron Press fined the pair $600 each and they were both ordered to pay $457 restitution.

No convictions were recorded.