Brazen young thief sentenced to prison for stealing handbags, clothes, fragrance from Strathpine stores

A brazen young thief has been caught stealing thousands of dollars worth of handbags, clothes, fragrances and liquor from stores across the Pine Rivers region.

A brazen young thief has been caught stealing thousands of dollars worth of handbags, clothes, fragrances and liquor from stores across the Pine Rivers region.

The Pine Rivers Magistrates Court heard Ian Baker Snow, 20, pleaded guilty to 17 stealing and graffiti related offences between May 27 and August 28 of this year, with each offence becoming bolder than the last.

The thief targeted a number of stores at the Strathpine Centre.

He admitted to bagging booze from Liquorland at Bray Park on August 19 and August 11, BWS at Lawnton on May 27 and May 5, BWS Mango Hill on May 27, and Liquorland at Strathpine on July 2.

During the Strathpine incident, in which Snow stole a $51 bottle of Absolut by shoving it down his pants, centre management was alerted and assisted police in locating Snow as he walked out of the centre.

On the way out, live CCTV footage captured Snow casually taking a $28 jumper from the racks outside Connor Clothing, before heading to the eastern exit.

Police pulled up to meet him at the door, but as they approached Snow spotted them, threw off his thongs and made a run for it.

The officers tried to chase him, yelling out for him to stop, but they both tripped and sustained injuries, allowing Snow to escape.

The man took close to $1000 worth of handbags from a Strandbags store.

A few days later Snow had taken more than $550 worth of fragrances from the Chemist Warehouse at Mango Hill, dropping them in a green shopping bag and simply walking off with them.

They were never recovered.

The offending reached its peak at 11.30am on August 28 when a staff member from Strandbags at Strathpine Centre approached Snow as he browsed through the aisles, and asked him whether he needed help.

According to police prosecutor sergeant Chelsey Ham, Snow engaged the staff member in conversation as a means of distracting her before grabbing $995 worth of handbags and making a run for it.

Snow was captured on CCTV footage and made full admissions to the crime during a police interview at his home on September 14.

The value of the goods stolen was far larger than Snow had attempted in the past, having until that point favoured stealing liquor from bottle shops.

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Duty lawyer Brendan Bevan pleaded with Magistrate Trevor Morgan to give Snow “one last opportunity” to turn his life around, saying the young man needed help from mental health services and drug counselling.

“He’s made bad decisions and he’s been hanging out with … the wrong crowd,” Mr Bevan said.

Mr Morgan said it was too little too late for last chances, referencing several prior convictions that saw Snow sentenced to 150 hours of community service, now fully served.

Snow was sentenced to four months imprisonment for each stealing charge, immediately suspended, and fined $2000.

Convictions were recorded.