Brent Palenski, Rothwell, sentenced for e-scooter, car, trailer thefts

A Moreton Bay father-of-two who was down on his luck went on an epic stealing spree to raise funds, a court has heard. But now he has had to pay the owners back thousands of dollars.

An out of work father-of-two went on a “crazy’’ stealing spree, including three e-scooters worth more than $9000, a Ford Ranger and bizarrely even a hair straightener, a court has heard.

Brent Simon Palenski, 37, of Rothwell faced Caboolture Magistrates Court on January 27 charged with four counts of stealing, possession of suspected stolen property, two counts driving without a licence, two counts of enter premises and commit indictable offence, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and wilful damage.

The court heard all the offences occurred between October 10 and December 4 last year.

Police attended Palenski’s Rothwell address in November where they found shoes, cutlery, clothing, vehicle accessories, an electric hair straightener and other items with their sales tags removed, all suspected of being stolen from retail outlets.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Shannon Bryce then read out the details of three separate scooter thefts by Palenski.

One was a $3000 electric scooter, parked and locked outside Bunnings Morayfield.

When the owner returned 20 minutes later they found it had been taken, with CCTV footage showing Palenski riding away on it.

Brent Simon Palenski leaving the Caboolture Magistrates Court on January 27.

The second scooter, worth $5000, was also parked and locked, this time outside Australia Post at North Lakes.

The owner returned to find it missing but police were able to track it to Anzac Ave in North Lakes where its tracking device was removed.

CCTV showed Palenski removing the lock and riding away.

The third theft also involved a locked scooter, this one valued at $1099, which he took from Westfield North Lakes.

None of the scooters has been recovered.

The court heard Palenski and a co-accused cut the chained padlock on the front gate of a business at 7 Steel St, Narangba.

Sgt Bryce said Palenski and the co-accused then forced their way into a locked box of vehicle keys and took keys to a Ford Ranger utility and another Ford Ranger.

Palenski got into the driver’s seat of the Ford Ranger utility, with the co-accused in the passenger seat, the court was told.

“To facilitate stealing the vehicle, the defendant had to drive the utility into another Ford Ranger and 2019 Toyota Hilux, to push them out of the way,” Sgt Bryce said.

“From there, Palenski drove the Ford Ranger utility to a Flinders Pde, North Lakes address, at 5.30am on the same date.”

The court heard Palenski parked in the car park and then drove away with a trailer attached to the stolen Ford Ranger.

Palenski and the co-accused drove to a home under construction in Mango Hill, where they cut the padlock of the gate and stole 24 plasterboard sheets and loaded them into the stolen trailer.

Police later arrived at the Mango Hill address where they placed Palenski under arrest.

The court heard he was disqualified from driving at the time of the offences.

He was again found by police to be driving, despite a six months’ disqualification, when he was pulled over on Anzac Ave, Rothwell on December 12.

Palenski’s lawyer Kristie Horne said he fell in with the wrong crowd and took to drug use after he was forced out of work as a roofing contractor for 11 months when he injured his foot.

Ms Horne presented the court with a letter of support for Palenski from his ex-partner and mother of his two teenage children, aged 14 and 16.

He pleaded guilty to all offences and Magistrate James Blanch sentenced him to nine months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

Palenski was ordered to pay $4099 restitution for the stolen scooters, was disqualified from holding a driver’s licence for 24 months and was convicted and fined the sum of $1200.

“Your behaviour is just crazy — no regard for other people’s property, whether they be businesses or individuals,” Mr Blanch siad.

“The court and the community are sick and tired of people like you.

“You’re a burden on society.”