Former mechanic cops months’ prison for bizarre Bunnings stunt

A criminal and his mate walked into a Bunnings outlet, went to the tool section ... and what happened next is downright bizarre.

A criminal’s brazen ploy to escape justice at a popular Bunnings store has spectacularly backfired.

Appearing via video link at Cleveland Magistrates Court on Thursday, Cameron John Farr, 44, of Slack’s Creek bemoaned the harsh and overcrowded conditions in jail after his botched escape.

The court heard Farr was on probation while wearing a tracking device.

On October 1, Farr entered Bunnings in Capalaba with an accomplice, walked to the cutting tools and proceeded to remove the $1,800 ankle GPS device.

CCTV captured the brazen act that ended with Farr leaving the destroyed tracker on a shelf and walking out with stolen tools.

Cameron John Farr, 44, tried to remove his tracking device at a Bunnings store. Picture: Facebook.

On October 5, police located him on Mount Cotton Rd where he pushed a female police officer in the chest before being apprehended after a short foot chase.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Lauren Collins said a prison sentence was the only option.

The offending came on the back of a nine-page criminal and seven-page traffic history.

Defence solicitor Eleanor Meany said her client suffered harsher than usual conditions while serving four months’ in pre-sentence custody, with regular 23-hour lockdowns and overcrowding.

The court heard the former mechanic and labourer had plastering work lined up in Victoria Point should he be immediately released.

His complaints were met with short shrift from Magistrate Deborah Vasta for his “brazen offending”.

“What did he think was going to happen?” Ms Vasta asked.

Ms Vasta further noted the defendant had been in and out of jail for most of his adult life and “knew the consequences”.

Farr was sentenced to two months’ jail with immediate parole eligibility granted.

He was further ordered to pay $1878.80 in restitution.