Alfredton woman Tanya Zimmerman faces court for statewide crime spree, steals housemate’s dog
An Alfredton woman stole petrol, lied to police about her name, and stole a housemate’s labrador during a crime spree spanning several months.
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A Ballarat woman snatched a Boost Juice worker’s bag, flogged a stolen boat, stole a middle-aged labrador, and lied to police about her name during a crime spree lasting several months
Tanya Zimmerman appeared at Ballarat Magistrates’ Court from custody on Tuesday, facing dozens of charges.
The court heard Zimmerman stole more than $1000 of fuel from petrol stations across Victoria throughout 2023.
She was often the driver but sometimes a passenger, and on some occasions a co-accused refuelled the vehicle with Zimmerman present.
The affected stores included Ampol in Altona North, South Yarra, Ballarat, Soldiers Hill, Beaufort, and Delacombe, as well as 7/11 in Ballarat and Apco in Alfredton.
She also drove in Prahran while her licence was disqualified and in multiple instances gave police a false name.
In December 2023, Zimmerman went to Karingal Hub Shopping Centre near Frankston and took an employee’s handbag from a Boost Juice outlet.
The same month, she was found in a stolen car containing a laptop stolen from Sebastopol and a wallet nabbed from Footscray.
It was not suggested Zimmerman stole the items.
She did, however, take a trailer, laptop, tools, clothes, and a 7-year-old labrador retriever from a housemate.
A few days before the new year, Zimmerman spent more than $900 using a stolen bank card, purchasing items at a chemist, tobacco shop, Tk Maxx, G-Bags, Hairhouse Warehouse, Priceline, Lotto Dreams, and more in Melbourne’s southeast.
In early January 2024, she sold a speed boat and boat trailer taken from a Narre Warren home by unknown offenders on New Year’s Day.
The items were together worth $12,500, and Zimmerman met a man in Southbank who agreed to buy it for $3000 if she would deliver it to Brooklyn.
She used a pseudonym in her interactions with the buyer.
Police later recovered the boat and trailer.
Zimmerman pleaded guilty to the offences and will return to court on October 15.
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