Camden’s Benjamin Proberts-Roberts pleads not guilty to break and enter

A tradie accused of breaking into a home and stealing a power tool has been remanded in custody as he waits to fight the allegations.

Edwards St, Camden. Picture: Google Maps

A tradie accused of breaking into a home and stealing a power tool will fight the allegations at a hearing.

Camden’s Benjamin Proberts-Roberts, 31, has pleaded not guilty to stealing property from a dwelling, goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen and possessing a housebreaking implement.

About 2.10am on February 23, police allege Proberts-Roberts was inside the garage under the alleged victim’s Edwards St, Camden home and took a Makita DDF482 cordless drill before he knocked over a pile of boxes which crashed.

The alleged victim heard the noise and ran to the window, where he allegedly saw a man standing.
The man immediately ran around the side of the house when he spotted the alleged victim.

According to court documents, the alleged victim ran to his front door, where he allegedly saw a man running down his driveway towards Edwards St, so he called Triple-0.

About 2.15am, the job was broadcast, and officers soon spotted Proberts-Roberts with another man on Argyle St.

Court documents state during a search of Proberts-Roberts, officers allegedly found the drill and sent an image to the alleged victim, who said it was his.

Benjamin Proberts-Roberts was arrested by police after he allegedly breached bail.

Police also allegedly found a grey balaclava, several small tools, a 6 Ah 18V black Makita battery, and a Spray and Mark paint can in the backpack.

However, Proberts-Roberts told police that he had collected a drill from a friend’s house and carried the paint can for his work as a landscaper.

According to court documents, the other man showed officers a receipt for a Makita drill which they said belonged to him, while the police noted the image to have been downloaded at 2.59am from a website.

Proberts-Roberts was granted bail but arrested by police after he allegedly breached his bail by breaking curfew.

At court on Wednesday, his lawyer applied for bail and said Proberts-Roberts runs a property maintenance and landscaping business which supported his family.

He acknowledged that Proberts-Roberts did not have a clean history but said he would fight these charges in court.

“What you’ll see is that the great majority of his history is in relation to motor vehicle issues,” the lawyer said. “He’s due to get his driving licence back in the not too distant future, and he is on the improve if you were to look at it holistically.

“The community is not best served by him being in custody … we will claim at the hearing he wasn’t even at the address.”

Magistrate Christopher McRobert denied bail noting the breach.

“He has a record of breaching the laws of the community he resides in,” he said. “He’s been given an opportunity to remain in the community, he has breached his bail, and he will remain in custody.”

The matter is set down for a hearing in December.