Adrian Turnbull fronts court over a spate of car thefts

A light-fingered youngster on bail for a spate of car thefts and home invasions across Victoria went back to a house he stole a Yaris from because he wanted a “better car”.

Maryborough teen Adrian Turnbull was back casing and stealing cars after being bailed on similar charges.

A serial car thief was back on the streets reoffending within days of being bailed on charges of breaking into homes and stealing vehicles, a court has heard.

Adrian Turnbull, 19, of Maryborough, pleaded guilty before Judge Pardeep Tiwana in the County Court on Wednesday to a raft of charges including theft of petrol, theft of motor vehicles, dangerous driving during two police pursuits, aggravated burglary and home invasion.

In one case, the court heard that Turnbull stole a Toyota Yaris from a residential property in Eaglemont in the early hours of February 24, 2024 but returned to the house and attempted to drive away in a Mercedes.

Turnbull told police he returned to the house because he wanted a “better car” than the Yaris and used an electric fob to open the locked electric gate to steal a Mercedes but was unsuccessful.

Serial car thief Adrian Turnbull broke into residential properties and targeted cars.

Two failed police pursuits didn’t deter him until he was arrested for the second time on March 24, 2023 in a caravan in Long Gully and told police he was on ice at the time of the offending.

He has never held a Victorian driver’s licence.

The court heard that two days after he stole a vehicle from a house in Kangaroo Flat, Bendigo, police spotted the car and gave chase but stopped the pursuit given the speed at which Turnbull was driving.

He also ran a red light next to the Bendigo Hospital. About two weeks later, a second police pursuit ensued on Kangaroo Flat but had to be abandoned.

Turnbull will be sentenced on May 6.