Kyle Crighton: Lavington man pleads guilty to theft, property damage

A young Covid-positive man fled hotel quarantine — putting the community at risk of a super spreader event — during a wild crime spree across Albury.

A young Covid-positive Lavington man fled hotel quarantine before going on a single-handed crime spree across Albury and putting the border community at risk of a super spreader event, a court has heard.

Kyle Crighton, 18, pleaded guilty to a string of charges in Albury Local Court on Tuesday.

Court documents state Crighton’s extensive crime spree began on October 22, 2021 when he was busted with several illegal firearms including a 410 shotgun and .22 rifle after police raided a home in West Albury.

Days later Crighton tested positive to Covid-19 when he was staying with family at an East Albury residence.

He later checked into hotel quarantine at Quality Siesta Resort in Lavington before police found him walking down the stairs from his room smoking.

After being questioned by the guard, Crighton jumped over a fence and ran onto Wagga Road in Lavington, and did not return.

Court documents state police had serious concerns Crighton was spreading Covid throughout the community, and he could cause “further fear, stress and a larger increase in Covid-19 cases”.

On November 13, 2021, Crighton continued his criminal activity by stealing an Albury woman’s BMW — and later crashing it.

Three days after the vehicle was stolen, a white BMW with no registration crashed into a fence at a residence in Carcoola Street, North Albury.

The BMW had hit the fence so hard that it pulled the metal posts out of the ground and all airbags had been deployed.

The owner of the property heard the crash and ran over, seeing an unknown man getting out of the car.

When the Crighton man realised he had been seen he immediately began to run.

Police attended the scene and noticed the BMW was the stolen vehicle as it had recently been spray painted white.

Crighton’s fingerprints were later found in the vehicle after forensic examination.

On November 22, 2021, Crighton then broke into two cars in Lavington Square car park, stealing personal items from the second.

Crighton cut himself on broken glass when he smashed into the glass of the second car, leaving blood.

He was charged with driving a vehicle while disqualified, intentionally or recklessly destroying property, entering a vehicle in a public place without the consent of the owner, and larceny.

On November 29, 2021, Crighton swapped half a gram of methylamphetamine and $200 for a stolen Audi A4 in Wangaratta.

Crighton knew the vehicle had been stolen, and drove it back to Albury.

His fingerprints were later matched to those in the car, after it was found abandoned in a North Albury drain just one day later.

On December 1, 2021, Crighton sold the Audi to another person, charging them more than he paid.

That same day, Crighton stole a dirt bike in Albury and rode it — speeding and without a license or helmet — all while a member of the public filmed.

Crighton was arrested on December 7, 2021 for a number of matters.

He was also charged with taking and driving a car without consent, knowingly driving the stolen car and driving the car while disqualified, and for breaking into the two cars.

Crighton was charged with intentionally or recklessly destroying property, taking and driving a vehicle without the consent of the owner and speeding.

He has been refused bail to be sentenced on April 13.