Serial thief Farnaz Razavishafa faces court for spate of robberies across Ballarat

A Ballarat thief robbed a chapel, a church, an aged care home, a disability support centre, a hospital, and more, saying that she was “just poor”.

Ballarat woman Farnaz Razavishafa has faced court over a spate of thefts from various shops and organisations. Picture: File

An inveterate Ballarat thief robbed a chapel, a church, an aged care home, a disability support centre, and a non-verbal disabled person.

Farnaz Razavishafa, 49, pleaded guilty to 38 charges at Ballarat Magistrates’ Court, appearing from custody with a crucifix around her neck.

The court heard that in March 2023, Razavishafa robbed event venue Housey Housey on Armstrong St, entering through an unlocked door and taking about $6000 cash, sovereign hill lolly jars, hand cream, and stationery.

The next month, she rummaged through unlocked cars at disability support organisation InLife independent Living in Sebastopol, then went into a room inside and pilfered a laptop and purse from a room in which a resident slept with her carer.

In June, she nabbed a staff member’s backpack from Grampians Health’s Queen Elizabeth Centre in Ballarat Central.

Farnaz Razavishafa, 49, robbed Housey Housey in March 2023. Picture: Facebook

Later, she entered a home in Newington at 11.30pm, fleeing when the resident yelled out.

Razavishafa took a handbag from Indian Grill in Ballarat East and used a bank card inside to buy tobacco and drinks from a petrol station.

She looted a portable speaker from the chapel in residential aged care home Mercy Place, and tried unsuccessfully to steal a money box from the same place.

In April 2024, she took meat, an energy drink, chocolate, and stain removers from Woolworths Sebastopol, and stole a wallet from a person’s handbag at Stockland Wendouree.

In June, Razavishafa took a guitar, tablet, laptop, and audio interface from Southside Church in Redan.

Not long afterwards, she walked into a staffroom at Ballarat Base Hospital and took cash and a bank card from someone’s purse, purchasing Woolworths gift cards and alcohol.

She also stole $10 coasters from Nextra Newsagency in Bridge Mall because she “couldn’t afford them” and needed “something nice at home to look at”.

Razavishafa took items from a person’s purse at Ballarat Base Hospital. Picture: File

Later in the year, Razavishafa stole $400, headphones, chocolates, Sovereign Hill lollies, shirts and a jacket, a bluetooth speaker, and sunglasses from Ballarat Grammar and a power drill, batteries, game controllers, and more from not-for-profit Ballarat Hackerspace.

Additionally, she took cash and a debit card from restaurant Pancho on Mair St.

On December 30, Razavishafa walked through the front door of a home inhabited by a person with cerebral palsy, who kept the door unlocked so carers could get in if necessary.

She asked the victim, who could not speak, for a drink of water and to call a taxi.

Razavishafa stole cash and a debit card from Pancho in Ballarat Central. Picture: Facebook

The victim began typing on an iPad, and Razavishafa stole their bag, including $300 cash and a debit card that she used to buy tobacco, a hamburger, a baseball cap, a lighter, and reading glasses from a petrol station.

When police spoke with Razavishafa at different points throughout the years, she said she was “just poor” and was “having a hard time”.

At one point officers found an ecstasy tablet on her floor.

Razavishafa will return to court on February 21, and will be assessed for a community corrections order in the meantime.