Daniel Matthew McFarland pleads guilty to vehicle theft, wilful damage

Despite an elaborate effort to eliminate evidence of ownership, a South Burnett man has been busted for pretending a trailer belonging to a local business had been stolen.

Daniel Matthew McFarland pleaded guilty to stealing a trailer.

A court heard the great lengths a man went to after stealing a box-trailer from a Murgon business and the extensive police investigation it took to retrieve it.

Daniel Matthew McFarland, 36, pleaded guilty in Murgon Magistrates Court on Tuesday to stealing a vehicle and wilful damage.

Police prosecutor Lisa Manns said another man had hired a trailer from a Murgon business on June 5, 2023 and when it was overdue to be returned, the man asked his friend, McFarland, if he could drop the trailer back for him.

“The victim then contacted the defendant on the 5th of July, 2023, was told that the defendant would be returning the trailer on the 6th of August 2023,” Sergeant Manns said.

McFarland rang the victim the day before he was due to return it and said the trailer had been stolen after it got a flat tire and was left on the side of the road.

Daniel Matthew McFarland pleaded guilty to stealing a trailer.

Sgt Manns said McFarland told the victim he had reported it to police.

“The victim tracked the GPS (tracker) which had been placed on the trailer and found it had been removed from the trailer on the same date the defendant had reported to him it had been stolen,” Sgt Manns said.

Police checked the trailer registration and found no report had been made by McFarland.

“The victim stated to police that from this date he could not get in contact with either of the defendant or … the original hirer of the trailer.”

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After more than two months on October 13, the victim saw the trailer for sale on Facebook Marketplace, posted by McFarland’s partner, the court was told.

Daniel Matthew McFarland pleaded guilty to stealing a trailer.

The next day police conducted a search on Shelton St in Murgon and saw the trailer at a property and went on to execute a search warrant.

“Police observed the trailer to be missing pieces from the original photos such as lighting and wiring,” Sgt Manns said.

The VIN plate and registration plate were also missing.

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McFarland told police he had to remove them so he could make repairs and repaint the trailer from damage.

“He stated he had bought it from his partner’s ex-partner but couldn’t produce any proof of sale,” Sgt Manns said.

After seizing the trailer, the Queensland Police Forensic Inspection Unit “performed a forensic examination on the trailer”.

“They were able to recover the original VIN from the chassis with a forensic procedure,” Sgt Manns said.

They confirmed it was the stolen trailer.

Because McFarland had already been sentenced at Brisbane Magistrates Court on January 22, 2024 for separate offences he wasn’t further punished but was ordered to pay $1299 in restitution and convictions were recorded.