Illawarra robber Nathan Hall caught after chugging non-alcoholic beer

A young Thirroul man with a “fairly extensive and long” criminal record has copped his punishment for a ”brazen and silly” break-in.

Nathan Hall faced Wollongong District Court on Friday.

An Illawarra house burglar already locked up in Parklea jail will be behind bars for an extended period after being sentenced for another “brazen and silly” break-in.

Nathan Hall, 22, was serving a 16-month prison sentence for breaking into a garage in East Corrimal on October 10, 2021, while high on prescription drugs.

During that break-in, Hall made off with nearly $12,000 worth of bikes and power tools before a police pursuit led to his arrest in the bathroom of a Bellambi house.

The Thirroul man broke into another garage in Gwynneville 16 days later, resulting in one charge of aggravated entering of a dwelling while knowing people were there.

Judge Paul Conlon hit Hall with another 16-month sentence with a non-parole period of eight months, noting with time already served he could be eligible for parole in April next year.

The court heard Hall entered the garage underneath the Gwyneville property and cracked a can of non-alcoholic Schlossgold, with Judge Conlon quipping it was “an unusual name for an non-alcoholic beer, but nevertheless”.

The homeowner was woken by his barking dog and saw Hall in his garage with a box of vinyl records and bikes splayed outside.

Nathan Hall's DNA was found on a can of non-alcoholic Schlossgold beer.

The victim contacted police, and Hall charged after investigators picked up a matching fingerprint on a skateboard left in the garage, as well as a DNA sample on the Schlossgold.

“The court accepted this was an opportunistic offence with very little planning involved, but nevertheless this is a very serious offence,” Judge Conlon said when handing down another jail sentence of 16 months, with a non-parole period of eight months.

The court heard Nathan Hall has a “fairly extensive and long” criminal record. Picture: Facebook

“Clearly he was in the midst of his drug abuse during the commission and leading up to this offence.”

The court heard Hall had prospects of working as a manual labourer when he wads released after he was “apparently sacked” earlier this year while on parole for the East Corrimal robbery.

“He was working at a recent international bike event,” Judge Conlon said, referring to a letter from the offender‘s mother.

“He thought it could lead to full-time work, but he was sacked from the event after police officers apparently told his boss about his criminal history.”

Hall‘s rap sheet was described as “fairly extensive and long” in court on Friday, with the young man set to appear in Wollongong Local Court next Thursday for a string of matters including dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception, two counts of larceny, driving a car taken without consent, negligent driving, never being licensed and driving a vehicle, not giving particulars and entering enclosed land.