Serial thief flouts Rose City ban to go on stealing spree

The Warwick man was given a jail sentence after pleading guilty to stealing, yet again.

Raymond George Alldridge

A SERIAL thief who flouted a Rose City Shoppingworld banning order to go on a stealing spree has narrowly avoided jail after being busted yet again.

Raymond George Alldridge hit Big W, Woolworths and the Reject Shop in April stealing hundreds of dollars of items from the stores.

Warwick Magistrates Court heard Alldridge stole a pillow case, razor, box of Lego, face cream and coffee sachets from Big W.

He went to the Reject Shop two days later where he stole chocolates and lollies.

Police approached the Warwick man over the thefts and found a knife, needle and clipseal bags in his backpack.

Police prosecutor Ken Wiggan said the 44-year-old had an “extensive history” of similar offending and was banned from the shopping centre.

Sergeant Wiggan asked for Alldridge to be given a jail sentence.

Magistrate Julian Noud acknowledged Alldridge had been “in the grips of a drug addiction” for a large part of his life but said he needed to get his drug habit under control and be a parent to his daughter.

“Not only is it good for us to have you over your drug addiction, but it’s better for you and you can have a life – a full life,” he said,

The court heard Alldridge intended to enter into a drug rehab program.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of trespass, three of stealing, one of possessing a knife in public and one of failing to dispose of a needle.

He was jailed for two months but was released on immediate parole.

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