Wakerley man Matthew Ryan Volpe, 24, has car impounded by police, then steals it from yard

After his car was impounded by police, this Brisbane man concocted a “brazen” plan to steal it back from them.

A MAN whose car was impounded by police and forfeited to the state for auction concocted a “brazen” plan to steal it back from them, sneaking into a yard on Christmas night to free his wheels.

Wakerley man Matthew Ryan Volpe, 24, had his red Holden Statesman sedan impounded by police on September 1 last year. It was towed to the Harvey’s Towing Yatala depot.

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On Christmas Day at about 9.30pm, Volpe and another man jumped the back fence to the yard and pushed a vehicle out of the way which was blocking the Holden. The keys were located on the dashboard and Volpe drove up to the exit gate, where he used boltcutters to make his escape complete.

On January 5 this year, Volpe was arrested in relation to another matter and made admissions to stealing the car. He told police he did it because he “wasn’t thinking”.

Wakerley man Matthew Ryan Volpe pleaded guilty to stealing his car from a Yatala impound on Christmas Day last year. Picture: Facebook

Today, Volpe pleaded guilty to eight charges in Beenleigh Magistrates Court. They included unlawful possession of suspected stolen property, driving while disqualified by a court order as a repeat offender, entering a premises to commit an indictable offence, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, and four breach of bail conditions.

The possessing stolen property charge occurred on January 4, the day before he was arrested. The court heard that police patrolling the Boundary St Beenleigh area noticed Volpe removing the tyres from a Ford Falcon sedan parked in front of the Goodyear Autocare store.

After initially claiming the car belonged to a friend, Volpe told officers he didn’t know who the car belonged to. He had removed three wheels, leaving the Ford tilted on its axles. One of the wheels was in the boot of Volpe’s car.

Volpe told police that his car had two defective wheels so he was taking the wheels off the unknown car to borrow them but that he intended to return them.

The court heard that Volpe had a six-month suspended jail sentence, imposed in the Richlands Magistrates Court, which he breached by committing these other offences.

He was also ordered to perform 100 hours’ community service for driving while disqualified by a court order. He has only performed 23 hours.

He was released from prison today having served 41 days in custody. He will be on parole for six months and probation for 12 months. Convictions were recorded.

Magistrate Louise Shephard said she thought it “brazen” of Volpe to steal the vehicle after it had been impounded by police.