Darren Hookey found guilty of breaking into jewellery shops in Dulwich Hill, Pemulwuy, Merrylands

A hammer-wielding jewellery thief has lashed out at a judge after being found guilty of a wild crime spree, calling him a c--t before apologising and claiming to be “a gentleman”.

A hammer-wielding thief has gone on a bizarre rant after being found guilty of a series of armed jewellery heists across Sydney, calling the judge who returned the verdicts a pedophile.

Darren Hookey, 37, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including aggravated break and enter, after starting his crime spree by stealing jewellery and cash from businesses at Dulwich Hill, Pemulwuy, Merrylands and Seven Hills between January 18 and 22, 2022.

On Thursday, following a judge-only trial, Judge Huw Baker found the former Constitution Hill man found guilty of all charges except resisting police during his arrest in a stolen car at Toongabbie.

Hookey unleashed on Judge Huw Baker in Parramatta District Court, threatening him and telling him he lived “two minutes from here”.

He called the judge illiterate, a pedophile and a c--t.

After court resumed following an adjournment, Hookey said he was sorry about the outburst.

Darren Hookey breaks into Konstan Jewellers in Dulwich Hill.

“I had no motive. I’m a gentleman,’’ he said.

But his parting words from the dock were aimed at a detective, with Hookey saying: “First ever police force in Australia was convicts, so what does that say about his DNA?”

Konstan Jewellers owner George Konstantinidis speaks to a man he identified as Hookey a day before his shop was targeted.

Judge Baker had earlier found Hookey was the man shown in footage during a string of violent break and enters, beginning with a brazen lunchtime incident at Konstan Jewellers in Dulwich Hill, on January 18, 2022.

Hookey was one of three people captured getting out of a Honda Jazz and pounding the front window of the Marrickville Rd shop, reaching into the window and grabbing jewellery before fleeing in the getaway car.

Owner George Konstantinidis gave evidence last week about how he was adamant Hookey was the same person who tried to sell him watches and a scooter a day earlier.

Hookey’s rampage continued at Prouds in Stockland Merrylands the following morning, shortly before 1am.

Hookey jumps the counter at Mikasa Jewellers at Pemulwuy.

Wearing the same track pants, Hookey then broke into Pemulwuy Marketplace, where he targeted Mikasa Jewellers three times after midnight on January 20, 2022– including with an unknown person the second time.

Like the other thefts, it was captured on CCTV and showed how his hammer sliced through glass cabinets before he stole jewellery and doused liquid at the site to cover up his tracks.

The next day, Hookey switched from targeting jewellery stores to instead breaking into a greengrocer at Seven Hills Plaza, where he stole $14,000 from Hills Fruit World at 8pm.

He later splurged more than $600 at Westpoint Blacktown, where he updated his wardrobe at JD Sports, Foot Locker and Connor.

Darren Hookey counts cash at JD Sports in Westpoint Blacktown.

Police eventually busted him at Bulli Rd, Toongabbie, on the evening of January 23 on the year in question.

A lump hammer, jewellery, a grey hoodie, an Everlast jumper he wore in the incidents were found in the Honda Jazz.

DNA on items found in the car also linked them to Hookey.

Along with the aggravated break and enter charges, Hookey was found guilty of two counts of entering a building or land with intention to commit an indictable offence, two counts of breaking and entering at a house and stealing items valued at than less than $60,000, breaking and entering at a house and stealing items valued at more than $60,000, and dealing with the proceeds of crime.