Thief’s ‘prolific’ crime spree across Central Queensland ends in jail
A thief’s ‘prolific’ crime spree across Central Queensland – which included stealing a man’s van and false teeth – has ended with the brazen robber being sentenced to five years’ jail.
Rockhampton
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A MAN got a rude shock when the van he was sleeping in was stolen, causing him to be thrown from the vehicle and robbing him not only of his bed but also his false teeth.
The was just one of the crimes Mark Frederick Conway, 23, committed during a "brazen" crime spree across Central Queensland in October and November last year.
Conway was sentenced to five years' jail in Brisbane District Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to 41 burglary, stealing, driving and fraud offences across the Rockhampton and Bundaberg regions.
In one of the more serious cases - the van theft - the court heard that Conway had driven off in the van while a 48-year-old man was sleeping in the back, causing the man to be thrown from the moving vehicle.
Luckily the man was uninjured, but Conway got away with the van and personal items - including the man's dentures - and was stopped only after he rammed a police car and crashed into a tree.
Prosecutor Peter Reid calculated that Conway's rampant offending, which was detailed in 14 pages of facts, had racked up a bill of $11,400 in stolen goods - not including the damage to the police car.
Mr Reid said the crimes ranged from petrol drive-offs to stealing car keys from a woman's hands and house burglaries - all committed while Conway was on a suspended sentence.
The court was told of one home burglary where Conway "startled" a boy with special needs but continued to rob the house.
He used stolen credit cards to buy junk food, cigarettes and groceries.
Defence barrister Dominic Nguyen asked Judge William Everson to note that apart from one instance of aggression, when Conway had pushed someone while trying to rob their house, no one had been injured.
"Despite the significant number of offences and perhaps by pure luck …(there was) no evidence of any physical injuries," Mr Nguyen said.
Mr Nguyen said Conway was born in Rockhampton and had couch surfed much of his life.
Judge Everson described the offending as "prolific and brazen" and said Conway had an "unenviable criminal history" for someone so young.
"You showed absolutely no concern for the victims or their property," Judge Everson said.
"A lot of the property was never recovered and the way you just took it and didn't even consider the consequences … speaks of offending that is very concerning."
Judge Everson sentenced Conway to five years' jail.
He will be eligible for parole on July 30, 2020. - NewsRegional
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