Craig Buhagiar: Worrigee man guilty to larceny, drug supply

Police searching a south coast man’s home for stolen Bunnings items uncovered more than they bargained for, discovering drugs, cash and stolen motorcycles.

Craig Buhagiar stole items from the Nowra Bunnings.

It was a search warrant meant to uncover more than $1000 of stolen Bunnings items in a man’s south coast home.

But police found more than they bargained for, uncovering methamphetamine, cocaine, crime proceeds and stolen motorcycles.

Craig Buhagiar, 45, faced Nowra Local Court on Tuesday, after previously pleading guilty to four counts of larceny, two counts of supply prohibited drugs, two counts of receive stolen property, five counts of drive while disqualified, fail to comply with digital evidence access order direction and contravene prohibition order.

Documents tendered to the court reveal the Worrigee man drove to two separate Bunnings – one in Nowra and one in Kembla Grange – multiple times between March 30 and April 24 this year, stealing $1109 worth of items, all while his licence was disqualified.

Following the final theft on April 24 at the Kembla Grange Bunnings, employees contacted police with CCTV footage of Buhagiar placing a number of items in his car before driving away.

Agreed facts state that police were granted a warrant on May 15 to search the 45-year-old man’s Worrigee house for the various Bunnings items and during the search, officers found not only the litany of hardware items, but also crystal like substances, a white power, cash and two motorcycles previously listed as stolen.

Craig Buhagiar will be sentenced on July 30.

The drug-like substances were later examined to be 74g of methamphetamine and 5g of cocaine.

The agreed facts state officers also found $17,280 cash on the premises, which they believed was proceeds of crime.

Officers during the search questioned Buhagiar on the items, including the two stolen motorcycles, with the Worrigee man stating: “I didn’t steal them, I received them”.

Buhagiar was arrested, charged and later refused bail at Nowra police station.

In the same court on Tuesday, Buhagiar’s lawyer Emma Harrison asked the court for an adjournment, to allow for more subjective material to be acquired for sentencing.

The request was not opposed by magistrate Geraldine Beattie, who said given the number of offences, the sentencing would be serious.

Buhagiar will return to Nowra Local Court on July 30 for sentencing.

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