Brayden Hosking found guilty on stolen car charges after joy ride

A teen bought his girlfriend a Gucci handbag with stolen credit cards before nicking a car from North Sydney and driving it all the way to Sydney‘s southwest while on his L-plates.

A teenager has been released on bail after ending up behind bars for a crime spree where he fraudulently bought cigarettes and a Gucci handbag, before stealing a car in North Sydney and taking it on a joy ride in Sydney’s southwest.

Brayden Hosking, 18, appeared via audiovisual link at Campbelltown Local Court on March 22, where he plead guilty to eight charges following a crime spree spanning more than a week, which came undone after he crashed into a fence.

Police say the offending began on March 6 when the 18-year-old stole an American Express card and Westpac Bank card out of a wallet sitting in a car parked at a Dover Heights home.

CCTV footage shows Hosking and another male attempting to open parked cars and pulling on car door handles in Dover Heights from 3.30am March 7, according to court documents.

Brayden Hosking pleaded guilty to a string of charges following a crime spree from Sydney’s north to southwest. Picture: Facebook.

That same day, the owner of the wallet noticed his card was used fraudulently, with a transaction at Gucci for $470, a transaction at Minto for $54.99 and a Vodafone payment for $50.

Hosking was caught on CCTV using the Westpac card to purchase a packet of cigarettes at 7/11 Minto, where police identified him and commenced an investigation.

Between 4-4.30am on March 15, the teenager found a silver Hyundai i30 parked in North Sydney with keys sitting in the centre console and drove it all the way to Sydney’s southwest.

Two days later he drove to Tahmoor and picked up a friend before “embarking on a joy ride around Tahmoor and Thirlmere” that was posted to Snapchat and other social media applications.

“The friend filmed a number of videos which depict Hosking driving recklessly, doing handbrake turns and losing traction on purpose,” court documents state.

“Police received several calls from members of the public in relation to the manner of driving.”

As he was driving along Thirlmere Way there was a sharp bend in the road, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and crash through a front boundary fence, narrowly missing a tree and hitting a car parked in a driveway.

The number plate of the car, a headlight and bumper came off the car in the crash.

Brayden Hosking has been released on bail. Picture: Facebook.

Both Hosking and the friend got out of the car to film the damage to the vehicle while still on the property, prompting the owner to come outside.

The pair fled the scene before exchanging details with the car owner, who chased them down in his car and spoke with Hosking who refused to provide any correct details.

Police were contacted and connected Hosking with the stolen vehicle and prior fraud offences, before finding the teenager sitting in the smashed up i30 on the side of a road.

Hosking got out of the car and attempted to flee on foot down Myrtle Creek Ave and onto Remembrance Driveway where he ran through multiple backyards without permission to enter.

More police arrived and a perimeter was established before officers found him hiding in a rear shed of a property.

Hosking was arrested and put in a police vehicle, with his friend also arrested and dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.

It was revealed the 18-year-old holds a Learners license and he made admissions to fraudulently using the credit cards to obtain cigarettes and the Gucci handbag.

Brayden Hosking fraudulently bought his girlfriend a Gucci bag before nicking a car and driving it from North Sydney to the southwest. Picture: Facebook.

He also admitted to stealing the i30 as he “had no way to get home from the city” and hid it at a friend’s house in Minto with the registration plates removed.

Hosking pleaded guilty to eight charges on Monday, including two counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception, negligent driving, take and drive conveyance, not give particulars to the owner of damaged property, learner not accompanies, learner not display L-plates and unlawful entry on enclosed lands.

The 18-year-old was released on bail with Magistrate Shane McAnulty telling him his priorities need to change.

“The community expects you to start behaving better than you have rather than carrying on like a spoiled 12-year-old,” he said.

“You’ve gone from zero to 100, with the matters carrying up to two years jail.”

Hosking’s bail conditions state he has a curfew from 6pm-6am and he isn’t allowed to go near alcohol or drugs.

He is due to reappear at Campbelltown Local Court on April 12.