Wayne Taylor accused of stealing $10k worth of jewellery and electronics during alleged Mildura crime spree

A Mildura man is accused of brazenly looting an electronics store and raiding the same house twice, stealing nearly $10,000 worth of electronics and jewellery.

Wayne Taylor leaves Mildura Magistrates' Court after successfully getting bail. Picture: Stuart Kavanagh

An unemployed Mildura man is accused of brazenly looting a Harvey Norman store and raiding the same house twice, stealing nearly $10,000 worth of electronics and jewellery, a court has heard.

Wayne Taylor, 25, fronted Mildura Magistrates’ Court seeking bail on multiple charges of theft and burglary.

The court heard Mr Taylor walked into Harvey Norman one Fifteenth St in Mildura and walked out with a Sony bluetooth speaker he allegedly made no attempt to pay for.

This was one of multiple alleged thefts within a few days.

Police said on August 29 and 30, Mr Taylor and a co-accused broke into the same house and stole more than $10,000 worth of property including iPhones, an Apple Watch, several wallets, identification documents, and thousands of dollars worth of jewellery.

It was alleged he also resisted arrest when police finally caught up to him.

The court heard police saw him on a push bike on San Mateo Ave and when he spotted them, he ran, only to be tackled by a member of the public.

Mr Taylor successfully received bail and is next slated to appear on September 10. Picture: Mark Stewart

Police said when he was taken into custody he was found to have numerous suspected stolen items in his possession with more bluetooth speakers and a pair of Nike shoes among the allegedly stolen materials.

Magistrate Michael Coghlan pointed to Victoria’s new bail laws, introduced in August 2023 and effective from March 2024, which eliminated, among other things, the stand-alone offence of committing further offences while on bail as part of bail hearings.

“The legislation has changed. If this had happened before the legislation changed, it would have been clear he would have been a risk of further offending. I am obliged to enforce the law as it exists. And it compels me to grant (Mr Taylor) bail,” Mr Coghlan said.

He went on to acknowledge the likely frustration that would be felt by members of the public and even police officers, but said he had no choice.

“I must apply the law as it is legislated,” Mr Coghlan said.

“You’re fortunate the bail laws have changed, Mr Taylor, otherwise you likely would not have received bail,” Mr Coghlan said.

Mr Taylor was bailed on strict conditions.

He will next appear in court on September 10.