Jack Chiminello: Whittlesea mechanic jailed for Datsun, caravan thefts
A young Whittlesea menace managed to get bail after he torched a ute, stole an antique car and an expensive caravan. But it was his urge to do a few burnouts that finally brought him undone.
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A young Whittlesea menace who torched a ute, stole an antique car and a $55,000 caravan landed himself behind bars after he couldn’t resist doing burnouts.
Jack Chiminello, 25, was sentenced to a minimum of six months’ jail when he fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, October 6, after he pleaded guilty to a range of charges.
The earthmover and diesel mechanic stole a 1975 Datsun 260z from an Epping street early on December 28, before a witness and CCTV caught him setting fire to a Holden ute in Lalor about 11.30pm.
Police then found gold knuckle dusters and a flick knife in his bedroom at his Whittlesea home on January 24.
Chiminello and another man drove into a Yarrambat address about 6am on February 2 and stole a 2016 Jayco caravan worth $55,000 while its owners slept in the house next to its parking spot.
Three days later he stole a Ford from Epping before police saw him doing burnouts in it.
Chiminello skidded on its completely destroyed wheels, emitting sparks, and fishtailed along entire streets.
Police found stolen number plates on the car car, and more stolen number plates inside it.
Chiminello was taken into custody on June 26 after police were called after he was seen doing burnouts in Epping at 3.30am, meaning he was also breaching a bail curfew.
The dog squad was then called in to find him hiding from police in bushes by Central Creek.
The crimes means he breached a community corrections order he was put on in January after pleading guilty to burglary and trespass.
The court heard Chiminello suffered from ice addiction, for which he had gone to rehabilitation for four months in 2019 and has a two-year-old son.
Lawyer Peter Randles conceded jail was the only option for Chiminello.
Magistrate Jennifer Tregent sentenced him to a maximum of 12 months’ jail for the crimes and corrections order breach, noting he had served 105 days already, and fined him $600.
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