Bunnings bandit John Myles Butters, 38, steals thousands from Burleigh Waters warehouse
A green-thumbed Gold Coast thief made multiple trips to the warehouse giant leaving each time with a bundle of stolen goods. Find out how he did it.
Police & Courts
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A Bunnings bandit who targeted a Gold Coast store multiple times in a month fleeced the hardware and gardening giant of thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment.
John Myles Butters made four separate trips to the Burleigh Waters Bunnings warehouse in May this year, leaving each time with stolen goods – all the while remaining undetected by staff.
It began on Saturday, May 4, when Butters was a passenger in a beige Toyota LandCruiser which drove into the timber yard.
“The defendant (Butters) browsed the store and placed a Kärcher pressure washer valued at $829 onto a trolley,” Sergeant Greg McKenzie told Coolangatta Magistrates Court on Monday, where Butters pleaded guilty to his spree.
“Without making any attempt to pay, he put the pressure washer into the rear of the parked LandCruiser,” Sergeant McKenzie added.
“The defendant then waited in the vehicle until the driver returned.
“Upon approaching the exit, the driver showed his receipt before driving out.”
Butters’ Bunnings bonanza was far from over – with the court told the 39-year-old returned to the same warehouse the very next morning.
“At 9am he entered the store in the same manner and left by the same method after selecting various household goods,” Sergeant McKenzie said.
“Power tools and gardening equipment with a shelf value of $900 plus.”
Butters returned on the 18th of May, and using the same routine he swindled another loot of power tools and garden equipment worth more than $600.
Two days later the Bunnings bandit was back – leaving the store with more than $480 in goods.
Butters was represented by duty lawyer Mollie Roper who told the court her client’s offending was a result of his drug use at the time.
“He found himself in a very difficult position where he owed money,” Ms Roper said.
“He had received some significant threats in relation to money that he owed to some people in relation to those debts.
“It really is quite unfortunate that he made the decision he did.”
The stolen merchandise, which hasn’t been recovered, was used by Butters to settle his financial woes according to Ms Roper.
“Clearly it’s out of character – he doesn’t have any history of a like nature,” she said.
“He’s certainly remorseful for his conduct.”
Magistrate Kerry Magee ordered Butters pay Bunnings $2800 in compensation for the stolen items, and he was issued with a $1000 fine.
No convictions were recorded for each of the four stealing charges.
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