Yawning Lexus thief had snatched woman’s bag at Stockland

AN opportunistic offender, 18, yawned while staring at the ceiling or floor as he was being sentenced for his role in stealing two Lexus’s from former Rockhampton MP’s home.

SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE DISCUSS USE WITH YOUR EDITOR - Larcome Allan James Keith Brown is accused of failing to stop a motor vehicle when directed by police on November 17 and unlawful use of a motor vehicle between November 14 -18.Mr Brown is also charged with two counts of driving unlicensed, two of fraud (dishonest application of credit card) and one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, entering a dwelling and committing an indictable offence, receiving tainted property, stealing and stealing a motor vehicle.

AN OPPORTUNISTIC offender, 18, yawned while staring at the ceiling or floor as he was being sentenced for his role in stealing two Lexus vehicles from a former Rockhampton MP's home.

Larcome Allan James Keith Brown pleaded guilty yesterday in Rockhampton Magistrates Court to 14 charges from two sets of offending that took place one month after he was sentenced to a 15-month probation order for similar offending.

Brown yesterday was convicted of stealing a handbag and fraud offences on November 11.

He was also convicted of enter dwelling and commit an indictable offence, steal motor vehicle, two counts of dishonest use of credit cards, two drive while disqualified, one fuel drive off, evade police and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while excessively speeding from November 16 and 17.

Magistrate Jeff Clarke said Brown's handbag offence was "gutless and mean spirited".

"You snatched her bag as you were riding past," he said.

Brown used the woman's credit card to buy cigarettes, meat pies, soft drinks and McDonald's items totalling $399.40. The next opportunistic offending took place when Brown noticed two Lexus vehicles parked in the carport of former Rockhampton MP Robert Schwarten's Main St, Rockhampton, residence.

 

Former Rockhampton MP Robert Schwarten.

 

 

 

Brown scaled a 1.8m fence to gain access to a garage where keys for the two vehicles were kept. He and an unknown offender then stole the two cars.

Police prosecutor Jess King said Mr Schwarten's Black Lexus, which evaded police at Stockland Rockhampton near Kmart and was later clocked doing 118km/h in a 60km/h zone across the Fitzroy Bridge, led police and Mr Schwarten on a chase through Allenstown and was eventually found, with thousands of dollars of damage but still "drivable", in Gladstone.

The red Lexus, which belonged to Mr Schwarten's wife, Judy, was driven to the Gold Coast and back, was found in Gracemere. Mr Schwarten sat in the back of the court as Brown was sentenced.

Mr Clarke said he would not order Brown to pay the "substantial compensation" due to his inability to pay with his only income being Centrelink payments.

The court heard Brown was non-compliant with his probation order which had been handed down to him for driving without a licence having never held a licence, burglary, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and fail to appear in court charges.

He left a car in Duaringa in July and broke into a business stealing items such as laptops.

Brown had made a bail application in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on November 19, which was refused on the grounds of his juvenile and adult criminal record at that time had 120 charges listed, on top of these offences taking place just after he received the probation order on October 8.

"Your offending shows a high disregard for the property of others," Mr Clarke said.

He sentenced Brown to 15 months' prison, disqualified him from driving for a further 5.5 years, declared 25 days presentence custody and parole release on February 18 next year.