Jordan Hyde, Ashley Healey plead guilty to attempted theft

A frustrated magistrate has lashed two would-be thieves for thinking they could just walk into a Bunnings and steal.

March 2015, Geelong Generic file shots of land marks around the city of Geelong Victoria. Geelong Magistrates Court Picture: Mitch Bear

A frustrated magistrate has lashed two would-be thieves who sauntered into a Bunnings store and stashed tools down their pants for thinking they could just help themselves to things that weren’t theirs.

Jordan Hyde, 28, and Ashley Healey, 31, both of Norlane, appeared separately in the Geelong Magistrates Court on Monday.

According to documents released by the court, the pair went to Torquay Bunnings on June 29.

Hyde selected a King Chrome socket set and placed it down his pants, while Healey selected a tyre-pressure gauge and stashed it down hers.

The store’s loss-prevention officer witnessed the pair hide the items on CCTV and notified police, who attended the store and spoke to Hyde and Healey.

The officers asked the two to take off their jackets, revealing the would-be stolen goods.

They were arrested and interviewed.

Hyde’s lawyer told the court he had been released from prison in March after serving a sentence on more serious offences, and felt “overwhelmed by his reintegration into the community”.

He had been facing the cost-of-living crisis, his lawyer said, while struggling to find a job due to his criminal history.

“He’s well aware that theft is not an appropriate resolution,” his lawyer said.

The court heard Hyde began using illicit substances as a teenager, and it developed into “a significant coping mechanism”.

Since the offending however, Hyde had made great strides towards rehabilitation, the court heard.

Hyde was “working towards a better and more stable future for himself”, having secured employment and treatment for his mental health.

Magistrate Peter Mellas acknowledged Hyde’s offending was “pretty unsophisticated” but suggested it was entitled.

“A lot of people coming before the court, think can just go in there, pick stuff and walk out the door,” Mr Mellas said.

He warned Hyde against turning to crime even if he was “having trouble getting back into the rhythm of things” because he’ll end up coming back before court again.

In sentencing Healey in a separate hearing on Monday, Mr Mellas slammed her offending as being “prevalent”.

“Do you know how many times we have people to go through the doors at Bunnings and help themselves to things?” Mr Mellas said.

Mr Mellas said both offenders couldn’t be separated; “both go in, they’re both equally involved … in terms of seriousness, in terms of method, in terms of knowledge”.

Healey’s lawyer submitted that an adjourned undertaking, or even a “section 76” was open to the court.

Under section 76 of the Sentencing Act, a court may dismiss a charge without conviction.

Mr Mellas said he wouldn’t entertain that option.

“This isn’t trifling,” he said, noting Healey was already on a community corrections order (CCO) at the time of the offending, while Hyde was not.

Healey’s lawyer told the court her client was “pressured to partake” in the offending, but Mr Mellas said there was no evidence of that in the material before the court.

Both Hyde and Healey were placed on six-month adjourned undertakings.

Originally published as Jordan Hyde, Ashley Healey plead guilty to attempted theft