Just google it: Prowler listened to hotwire tips

HIS mobile phone that was playing audio instructions

Car theft,thief, break in.Photo Warren Lynam / Sunshine Coast Daily

A VOICE yelled: "Leave my car alone. I'm calling the cops.”

The angry voice came from inside a parked Hyundai, startling convicted thief Tony Jones, who was loitering outside.

His movements had activated the car's CCTV camera which sent a phone message to its owner.

The Hyundai owner saw a male on a security camera outside his car and called out the warning remotely.

Appearing in the dock of Ipswich Magistrates Court, Tony William Jones, 25, from East Ipswich, pleaded guilty to about two dozen offences.

These included 16 counts of obtaining or dealing with another person's identification to commit an offence (bankcard frauds); registration offences; possession of dangerous drugs; entering premises with intent; attempted unlawful use of motor vehicles; four counts of receiving tainted property; three counts of fraud; possession of property suspected of being used in a drug offence; and failing to provide a specimen of breath.

Three charges of burglary, and an unlawful entry to a motor vehicle charge were dismissed when police offered no evidence

Sgt Elmore sought a jail term of between 15-18 months, and with 456 days held in pre-sentence custody could be granted immediate parole.

Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said Jones, in April 2017, was sentenced by a district court judge to a three-year jail term for offences but released when pre-sentence custody of 456 days was taken into account.

Jones went on to commit the offences now before the court.

Magistrate Donna MacCallum noted his guilty pleas, saying Jones had seemingly gone back to his previous ways.

She said they were serious charges and he would have been well aware of the consequences.

Ms MacCallum fined Jones $600 and disqualified his licence six months for failing to provide a breath specimen.

She said a six-month jail term was appropriate for his fraudulent use of a card. Jones was also sentenced to lesser terms with a total head sentence of 15 months.

His 128 days spent in custody were declared with immediate parole release.

The charges against Jones included entering premises at Darra on March 3 when a parked Toyota was broken into and a wallet and bankcards stolen.

His fingerprints were found in the car. He later told police that he remembered going to Darra.

On April 14, at 6.20pm, in Church St at Goodna, police said Jones attempted to remove a battery from a parked Hyundai.

The car owner told police he was notified on his mobile phone when the car's CCTV activated and sent a warning.

The camera with microphone recorded a voice saying "I'm going to get the battery”.

The car owner, using his phone, called out: "Leave my car alone... I'm calling the cops.”

The offender bolted.

On April 16, a Ford Falcon parked on Church St in Goodna was broken into, with a window smashed.

When a witness was talking to police about the offence, Jones was spotted walking past. The witness told the officer: "Oh that's him.”

The court heard Jones was holding a mobile phone that was playing audio instructions for how to hotwire a car. Jones was searched, with police finding a screwdriver, spanners and car fuses.

Originally published as Just google it: Prowler listened to hotwire tips