Karl Humphries awaits sentence after breaking into Burradoo building site to steal $32,000 excavator

A father-of-10 was caught red-handed trying to steal a $32,000 excavator from a building site in an idyllic suburb.

A father-of-10 will await to hear his sentence after he broke into a Burradoo building site and was caught by police in the act of stealing a $32,000 excavator.

Karl Humphries, 35, appeared in Picton Court via video link on Wednesday for sentence after pleading guilty to entering a building site with the intent of committing an indictable offence, and taking and driving conveyance without the consent of the owner.

He also admitted to possessing housebreaking and vehicle break in tools, destruction of property, and committing an indictable crime with a previous conviction.

About 7.45pm on January 19, police on Moss Vale Rd, Burradoo spotted a man driving a Kubota excavator on a building site.

Police allege a man, 30-year-old Adam Mitchell Davis, was driving the 1.7 tonne machine towards a forced opening in the temporary fence around the site.

According to the court documents, officers also saw Humphries standing beside a Ford ute with a trailer attached, and approached him.

Karl Humphries broke into a building site in Burradoo to steal a $32,000 excavator.

The facts state he and his co-accused told police they had attended the site to collect the excavator for its ‘owner’, who had asked them to bring it to Campbelltown.

Humphries told police that the owner, who he called ‘Tim’, had called him and offered him $250 to retrieve his company’s excavator, valued at around $32,000, and provided him with the key.

The key seized by police from the men was a universal key for Kubota excavators, according to the facts.

Police saw the temporary fencing had been lifted up from the heavy blocks and pushed open to gain entry to the building site, and a cut metal cable and padlock were lying near where the excavator had been locked up.

The facts show police searched the ute and found two sets of bolt cutters, which Humphries agreed “does look suss”.

While talking with police, the facts show Humphries got a call from ‘Tim’, who was saved in his phone as ‘JD”.

Police spoke with the man for a long time but were unable to verify any of the information he provided about his excavation business, including the ABN, address, or business name.

On Wednesday, Humphries’ lawyer told the court that his client’s brother had offered him a job at his fencing business when he was released.

He told the court that Humphries had previously held down jobs, but was unemployed just before the excavator incident.

“He instructs that he was required to go for a number of drug tests and that was interfering with his employment and he was asked to leave that employment,” the lawyer said.

Picton Courthouse. Picton Local Court. Picture: Adelaide Lang

“As is it is the case that Mr Humphries’ has suffered mental health conditions in the past… [they] have been exacerbated while in custody.”

The lawyer said Humphries’ record did not assist him and was “demonstrative of someone that has a drug problem”, acknowledging that he was on conditional liberty at the time of the offences.

He asked the magistrate to make a finding of special circumstances due to the early pleas of guilty and Humphries’ need for rehabilitation.

Mr Davis has pleaded not guilty to entering a building site with the intent of committing an indictable offence, taking and driving conveyance without the consent of the owner, possessing housebreaking and vehicle break in tools, destruction of property, and committing an indictable crime with a previous.

The magistrate decided to adjourn the sentencing to consider the facts. The matter returns to court on April 28.