Gang member Lucas Michael Wagner sentenced in court for his role in stealing $204,000 from Sunshine Coast atm’s
A man who broke into several Sunshine Coast ATMs to steal $204,000 should have known “what the consequences of getting caught” were, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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A 40-year-old man who was involved in an organised crime gang that broke through the ceiling of several Sunshine Coast ATMs to steal $204,000 has hugged his family goodbye after being sentenced.
Lucas Michael Wagner was a key player in an organised crime syndicate that surveyed and broke into 13 Sunshine Coast ATMs to steal $204,000 in cash over a seven-month period from August 2017 to March 2018.
Maroochydore District Court heard the total loss to the victims including damage to the property was $308,000.
The criminal group’s largest yields stolen from individual ATMs were just under $114,000, $44,000 and $21,000.
Crown prosecutor William Slack said it took both an overt and covert investigation for police to discover the “organised criminal syndicate” that wore dark full length clothing during their efforts.
Judge Michael Byrne said Wagner used grinders, a c-saw and other materials from his job as a builder to assist his “illegitimate trade”.
Radios and headsets were also used during the break ins.
Mr Slack said Wagner played a key role in the offending and entered the properties either via the ceiling, floor or fire doors in all but one occasion.
Mr Slack suggested an eight-year prison sentence with a parole eligibility date after serving one-third as an appropriate sentence.
The court heard the group also had an agreed upon pay rate for all those involved.
Wagner, who was 36 years old at the time of the offending, pocketed $47,660 of the stolen funds.
Wagner pleaded guilty to 28 offences on Friday, September 17, including nine counts of entering a premise and committing an indictable offence by break, nine counts of wilful damage, four counts of stealing and one of attempting to enter a premise to commit an indictable offence by break.
The court heard Wagner was jailed in 2018 for a similar break and enter offence.
Although defence barrister Scott Lynch understood Wagner’s criminal history was very relevant, he said it was not significant in length compared to comparative cases presented to the court by the prosecution.
Mr Lynch said six-character references penned by Wagner’s family spoke on how the father had new aspirations to live in Hervey Bay with his dad.
He said Wagner had also written a letter that spoke to hardships he had endured as a prisoner during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Lynch said a seven-year prison sentence was appropriate.
He suggested a parole eligibility date of November 19, 2022.
Mr Byrne said Wagner’s history was significant and the now 40-year-old shouldn’t have been surprised by the consequences of his involvement in what he described as a “gang”.
“You have a man that has gone to jail for this before, there can be no doubt when he started on his escapade that he knew what the consequences of getting caught were,” he said.
Mr Byrne said while Wagner’s offending was planned it also had an element of “hillbillyism” as they failed to secure funds on every occasion.
Wagner was sentence to seven years in prison with a parole eligibility date on November 19, 2022.
Wagner’s 302 days of pre-sentence custody were declared as time already served.
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