Jason Mark Hatch fronts court over his role in ATM break ins on the Sunshine Coast

Intricate details into how a “sophisticated organised crime enterprise” managed to steal more than $200,000 from ATMs around the Sunshine Coast have been revealed.

A businessman who was involved in an organised crime syndicate that stole more than $200,000 from ATMs to fulfil his greed has hugged his young son goodbye before being taken into custody.

Jason Mark Hatch was due to be sentenced in Maroochydore District Court on Thursday after he caused $95,768 worth of damage and stole $172,840 in cash from nine Sunshine Coast and surrounding businesses.

Crown prosecutor Rebecca Marks told the court Hatch, now 41, was one of the primary offenders in a “sophisticated organised crime enterprise” of five that targeted ATMs between September 2017 and March 2018.

“They would conduct surveillance at the various premises to become familiar with the stores’ layout before breaking in, usually through the ceiling above the targeted ATM, but also on one occasion underneath the building,” Ms Marks said.

The court heard the group would use UHF radios to communicate with each other and tools such as a wielder, grinder and circular saw to cut into the ATM.

The group who had an organised pay rate based on each member’s involvement caused a large amount of damage while breaking or trying to break into the ATMs.

Ms Marks said police began investigating the break ins in 2018 and ultimately caught Hatch while breaking into the Waterfront Hotel, Diddillibah, on March 30, 2018.

She said Hatch and Lucas Michael Wagner noticed the police presence and ran a significant distance into surrounding bushland and hid before being found by police.

“They were monitored by Polair and eventually they were located by police and police dogs,” she said.

Hatch was motivated to steal from Sunshine Coast ATMS after running into financial difficulty with his business. Picture: Kelly Barnes.

The court heard Hatch targeted businesses in Palmview, Caboolture and Nambour, with the largest yield of $113,820 coming from the Spar Supermarket in Palmwoods.

Hatch pleaded guilty to 22 charges including three counts of stealing property valued over $5000, eight counts of wilful damage and four counts of breaking and entering and wilful damage.

The court heard Wagner, who was charged with the most offences in the group, had received a seven-year prison sentence with parole eligibility after two years when he was sentenced on September 17.

Ms Mark’s also said another member of the group, who had less involvement and provided evidence to police was given a four year prison sentence that was suspended for five years after one year.

She said Hatch’s offending was nearly as serious as Wagner’s and suggested a six to six and a half year prison sentence with parole eligibility after a serving a third of the term.

She said anything less than six years would be “affront to justice”.

“It was very calculated, it was very persistent, occurring over a period of some six months …,” she said.

She said Hatch was motivated to commit the crimes after running into financial difficulty with his business.

“It’s a significant aggravating factor that the motivation for his offending was greed … (it was) purely motivated by financial gain and reward,” she said.

James Mark Hatch's barrister Nick Brown (right) leaving Maroochydore District court on Thursday with his instructing solicitor. Picture: Laura Pettigrew.

Defence barrister Nick Brown suggested a five-year prison sentence that could be suspended after he served 15 to 20 months.

Mr Brown said Hatch had complied with strict bail conditions and had gained employment, that would continue after his release during the three years and four months since his offending.

He said his client, learnt his lesson, had positive prospects for his future and posed a low risk of reoffending.

Mr Long agreed with both the Crown and defence that balance across all of the co-offenders sentences was crucial.

He said he would finalise Hatch’s matter at the same time as his alleged co-offenders Christopher John Varley and Krystle Skye O‘Reilly’s sentence.

Hatch’s sentencing was adjourned to November 29, so he could be sentenced at the same time as his alleged co-offenders.