Donna Jean Pricsina charged over alleged Tuggeranong jewellery theft
A woman allegedly stole more than $13,000 worth of gold jewellery from an Angus and Coote before fleeing in a stolen BMW, a court has heard.
Canberra Star
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A woman has faced court after she allegedly stole more than $13,000 worth of jewellery from a Tuggeranong shopping centre.
Police allege Chisholm woman Donna Jean Pricsina, 30, stole a gold chain valued at $8999 and a gold pendant valued at $4499 from Angus and Coote jewellers, at the South.Point shopping centre in Tuggeranong on Monday afternoon.
Ms Pricsina was allegedly accompanied by another woman and left the shopping centre in an allegedly stolen grey BMW with another man in the back seat.
Police raided homes in Chisholm and Monash on Tuesday night, and Ms Pricsina was arrested at 6.30pm.
Ms Pricsina pleaded not guilty in ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday to charges of aggravated burglary and riding/driving a motor vehicle without consent.
Her lawyer applied for bail, and told the court Ms Pricsina was working part time as a stone mason as the sole breadwinner for her family.
She also said Ms Pricsina was an involved participant in a number of community based support groups aimed at curbing criminal behaviour.
Prosecutors opposed bail, citing concerns about re-offending and failing to appear at future court dates.
The prosecutor told the court the defendant had recently been sentenced for another crime on December 16, and said Ms Pricsina had outstanding warrants against her in NSW.
He said she had multiple driving offences and fail to appear offences.
The prosecutor said Ms Pricsina had shown a “disregard for court orders”, and said “nothing so far has deterred” her offending.
Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker said prosecutors had a “reasonably strong case” against Ms Pricsina due to CCTV footage of the alleged incident.
Additionally she said if the defendant were convicted of these new charges, Ms Pricsina would be in breach of her prior suspended jail sentence.
Ms Walker refused bail and set a date for Ms Pricsina’s pre-hearing mention for February 22.
A statement from ACT policing states they are still investigating the alleged incident and seeking to locate the alleged accomplices, the stolen goods and the vehicle.
Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers ACT and quote 7320760.
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