Kyle Crighton: Speed demon’s ‘single-handed Albury crime wave’

An Albury teen went on a “single-handed crime wave” — stealing cars and reaching speeds of up to 200km/h as he wreaked havoc across the border community.

An Albury teen has been busted driving three stolen cars reaching speeds of up to 200km/h. Photo: iStock

An Albury teen went on a “single-handed crime wave” stealing three cars and reaching speeds of up to 200km/h as he wreaked havoc across the community, a court has heard.

Kyle Crighton, 18, pleaded guilty to 19 driving and theft related charges at Albury Local Court on Friday.

The court heard Crighton stole three cars between May 23 and May 27.

He also damaged and stole sunglasses, cash, and cigarettes from a security guard’s vehicle at the Commercial Club in Albury between 12.01am and 12.14am on May 14.

CCTV footage showed Crighton getting into the security guard’s vehicle before returning to his own.

Later that month, a white Audi sedan was stolen from Bellbridge in Victoria on May 23, which Crighton was seen driving at 11pm in Lavington.

When Crighton saw police he ran a red light and continued on Mate St where police said he reached speeds of 100km/h in a 60km/h zone.

The next day Crighton drove the stolen Audi to the BP service station on Drome St, East Albury, where he stole $100 worth of petrol.

The car was found burnt-out on Quilters Rd, Sandigo, on May 26.

The same day he stole a blue 2020 Mercedes GLC200 from Albury.

At 2.35am Crighton’s co-accused captured a video of Crighton driving on Young St, Albury, accelerating from 46km/h to 141km/h in 12 seconds in a 60km/h zone.

Another video showed Crighton driving at 200km/h in a 110km/h zone on the Hume Hwy.

The car was later found in a carpark off Ross Circuit in Lavington with two sets of stolen Victorian number plates in the vehicle.

About 2.58am on May 28 police spotted Crighton driving another stolen vehicle, a Ford Courier, which had been spray painted black, but still had the original plates.

Crighton’s defence solicitor, who applied for bail, said Crighton could live with a family friend in Albury who was a counsellor for Narcotics Anonymous and could help Crighton with his drug habit.

Crighton, who appeared in court via video link from custody and had his mother, sister and partner there to support him, sat forward with his fingers on both hands crossed as his solicitor spoke.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Andrew Coombs said there was an unacceptable risk that Crighton would reoffend because he was already on bail at the time of his offending.

Magistrate Richard Funston agreed.

“At what stage do people seriously think Mr Crighton is going to get out today? It’s a single-handed Albury crime wave,” Mr Funston said.

“I’m the first to give a person a chance when it comes to drug rehabilitation, but the sheer volume matters, we have to get this sorted before he’s able to get out.

“He may end up on an ICO, but he’s clearly facing a jail sentence on the sheer volume of this sort of driving.”

Mr Funston spoke directly to Crighton, who was upset at the outcome.

“There’s still hope, it’s not a lost cause, you’re a young person, but we’ve just got to get this sorted,” he said.

Mr Funston ordered a sentencing assessment report from Community Corrections before Crighton’s sentence.

Crighton was refused bail to appear at Albury Local Court in August.