Strathpine man breaks into four businesses in one night after mixing with ‘wrong crowd’

The perils of joining the “wrong crowd” has led a man astray after police find loot from a break-in spree at a Strathpine premises.

Police recovered stolen goods from three break-ins.

A MAN who broke into four businesses in one night, stealing cash, cash tills and laptops with an accomplice, has avoided immediate jail time.

Ricky John Ward, 35, pleaded guilty to three counts of enter premises and commit indictable offence and one count of enter premises with intent when he appeared at the Pine Rivers Magistrates Court on January 9.

The court heard Ward assisted an accomplice to cut the power and jimmy open doors at four Pine Rivers businesses on January 7.

The pair stole $4,500, alcohol and a laptop from the Flying Nun Cafe in Samford Village.

Two cash registers containing $252 were ripped from a wall from a Samford Village rural store.

And two Lenovo laptop computers and a cash tin containing $300 were stolen from Sleepy’s Carseldine.

The duo also broke into the Early Settler in Bald Hills but left empty-handed after “hightailing it” when an alarm was activated.

The court heard Ward was arrested on January 8 after stolen property was found during a police search of a Strathpine premises.

Ward’s defence solicitor Brendan Beavon acknowledged his client’s “serious offending” and said Ward, who had no other property crime in his history, had shown “poor judgment” and “associated with the wrong people”.

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Magistrate Melanie Ho said Ward’s offending was aggravated by its foreplanning.

“I accept the submission that you were involved with the wrong crowd and that you have now realised that you were led astray,” Ms Ho said.

“What was disappointing is that there was a level of premeditation.

“Power was cut and items targeted were cash, cash tills and laptops and I note that you didn’t benefit from any of that with property found during an execution of a search warrant.”

Ward was sentenced to six months suspended jail over 12 months for each count, to be served concurrently.

“It is basically a sword hanging over your head for 12 months,” Ms Ho said.

“If you commit any further offences that six months of imprisonment can be activated wholly or in part.”