Shivam Dhingra: MLC Centre security guard stole $40k of laptops
His job was to guard some of the top corporate offices in Australia. But Shivam Dhingra instead embarked on a daring inside job in which he disguised himself as a food delivery driver rider to sneak in and steal $40k of laptops.
Blacktown
Don't miss out on the headlines from Blacktown. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Son in alleged family drug ring was “off his head”
- IT contractor allegedly stole $500k from the Department of Finance
An unsuspecting security guard at the MLC Centre has been imprisoned for 16 months for dressing up as a food delivery driver and stealing 16 laptops from two leading law firms.
The court heard on two occasions, nine months apart, Shivam Dhingra reprogrammed access cards to break into two levels of the Martin Place skyscraper, where he was employed to keep the building secure.
The 22-year-old had powers to modify the access cards as part of his job.
Dhingra, from Blacktown, was ordered on Monday to pay back $41,000 in compensation to the two law firms, which didn’t account for the “flow-on effects” from important client information lost, the court heard.
In October 2018, Dhingra broke into McCabe Curwood Lawyers on level 38.
In the early hours of the morning he stole four laptops, valued at about $8,000 and a security access card from the desk of a staff member.
A number of months later in August 2019, still employed at the MLC Centre, he entered Meridian Lawyers on level 17 through fire stairs.
The court heard, Dhingra dressed up in dark clothing and wore a food delivery backpack as a disguise.
He entered and exited the office six times to steal 12 laptops.
This haul was valued at about $32,500.
Dhingra was captured on CCTV footage modifying the swipe card used during the offences, court documents reveal.
He later tried to sell the laptops.
Dhingra was arrested on September 10, 2019, about ten days after the last offence.
He pleaded guilty to the two counts of break and enter building to commit a serious indictable offence, and was sentenced to nine months non-parole on Monday.
He quickly appealed the severity of his sentence and was released on bail.
In sentencing Dhingra to prison, Magistrate Erin Kennedy conceded he held a position of trust as a security guard who had access to all parts of the building.
She commented that it was “unimaginable how out of control the world would be” if security guards regularly abused this trust.
Dhingra handed his father his phone before being led out of a Downing Centre Local Court room in handcuffs.
The court heard Mr Dhingra was trying to feed a cannabis and cocaine addiction, along with a gambling problem, when he committed the offences.
An Indian migrant to Shepparton, Victoria, Mr Dhingra felt as though he didn’t belong, the court heard, and started taking cannabis at age 13.
He and his family now live in Blacktown.
Years later, he became dependent on cocaine.
As the sole provider for his two unemployed parents, the court heard, he was under a lot of pressure, earning about $1000 a week as a security guard.
On the MLC Centre website it reads: “One of the most secure buildings in the Sydney CBD … with team on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week”.