Teofil Pop sentenced after crime spree and wild police chase
A meth addict’s crime spree that took police on a wild chase on the wrong side of the road was interrupted when he was caught crossing the Queensland border in a stolen car.
Police & Courts
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A Sunshine Coast dad has been jailed after a string of crimes ranging from attempted theft of a Macca’s charity tin to a wild police chase.
Teofil Pop was sentenced to one year in prison in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to nine charges including unlawfully using a car, evading police and three counts of stealing.
Police prosecutor David Hoffman said Pop drove on the wrong side of the road and sped through a red light to get away from police on November 30, 2020 in Brisbane.
“He has weaved through various lanes of heavy traffic … veered right onto the incorrect side of the road narrowly missing traffic proceeding through an intersection at Compton Rd and Beaudesert Rd,” Senior Constable Hoffman said.
“ … (Pop) has accelerated towards intersection and driven through a red light in a dangerous manner at speed.”
Constable Hoffman said police were forced to stop their pursuit of the man, but later found him on December 9, 2020 at the Springwood Hotel.
He said the Nambour man had already been busted by police for a string of stealing offences.
Constable Hoffman said the father of two was intercepted driving a stolen car while trying to cross the Queensland border on the Pacific Motorway at Tugun on June 16, 2020.
The car had stolen number plates attached and was linked to a number of stealing offences including two fuel drive-offs from Caltex petrol stations.
Constable Hoffman said Pop was also charged with attempted stealing after he tried to take money from a McDonald’s charity tin on November 11, 2020.
“(Pop) … went up to the drive-through order taking window, placed his hand in the charity box and attempted to take money,” he said.
“He was also observed get out of the driver seat and attempt to steal the charity box while hiding between the wall and the vehicle.”
Constable Hoffman said the man had a “deplorable history” with similar offences and suggested all the crimes could be punished with a prison sentence.
He suggested Pop be disqualified from driving for five years.
Pop’s solicitor Patrick Meehan said the man had suffered from an addiction to methamphetamines and was diagnosed with bipolar as a 17-year-old.
He said Pop also suffered endured trauma when he was separated from some of his nine siblings after his parents divorced.
Mr Meehan said a five-year disqualification period would crush any possible work opportunities given to Pop once he was released.
The court heard Pop was recently sentenced in the Maroochydore District Court for other undisclosed offences and had a full-time release date of April 9, 2022.
Mr Meehan suggested a two-year disqualification period and a 15-month prison sentence that could be suspended from April 9, 2022.
He said the sentence would ensue his release date was not delayed.
Magistrate Kenneth Taylor gave Pop a parole release date of April 9, 2022.
Convictions were recorded.
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