Serial bike thief shows police three after stolen bikes after being caught on nicked pushie

A SERIAL pushbike thief had his entire operation foiled when police caught him on a stolen bicycle at Australia Fair on Boxing Day.

A serial bike thief was caught when police found him on a stolen pushie.

A SERIAL pushbike thief had his entire operation foiled when police caught him on a stolen bicycle at Australia Fair on Boxing Day.

Craig Walden pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court today to stealing and possessing stolen property.

Magistrate Gary Finger called Walden an “idiot” for his repeated theft of the bikes which were all worth about $800 each.

“It doesn’t go to your credit as you keep knocking these bikes off,” Magistrate Finger said

“People are entitled to leave their bikes there without idiots like you knocking them off.

“Any time you come back before the court you will end up in prison.”

Magistrate Finger sentenced Walden to three months prison and ordered his immediate parole release.

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Police prosecutor Senior Constable James Treanor told the court police stopped Walden yesterday after a bike was reported stolen from the Australia Fair food court.

He said he was also found with three other stolen pushbikes — two stolen from Australia Fair and the third stolen from the Lawson St, Southport bike racks.

The court was told Walden was captured on CCTV footage.

Defence lawyer Sam Jackson, of Bamberry Lawyers, said the CCTV footage was not clear but Walden, a single father to three children, made admissions to police.

“When stopped by police he told them the bike was stolen and took them to his house where three other bikes were stored and had been stolen,” he said.

Mr Jackson said Walden was feeling the financial pressure of Christmas and had planned to “hock” the bikes.

“He is certainly remorseful, probably more remorseful than usual given the admissions he made,” he said.

Mr Jackson said Walden had been unemployed since he moved to the Gold Coast in 2015.