Mernda’s Lachlan Bell rips off Asics, Subway with fake $100 notes during crime spree

Fuelled by ice, a Mernda man went on a three-month crime spree across the northern suburbs. Armed with fistfuls of fake $100 notes, nothing was off limits as he ripped off businesses. Find out what he used the counterfeit money to “buy”.

Bell used fake $100 notes to defraud Asics, Subway and Cold Rock stores.

A drug-fuelled Mernda thief used fake $100 notes during a crime spree across the northern suburbs, including ripping off Subway for a foot-long.

Lachlan Bell’s three-month spree, which lasted from July to September, only came to an end when police chased him down after he tired to do a runner when they turned up at his home, Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court has heard.

Bell was accused of repeatedly robbing Mernda Primary School, but the charges were dropped.

Bell, 26, pleaded guilty to deception charges, knowingly handling stolen power tools and numerous driving offences, including speeding from police, when he went before the court by video link on Thursday, March 5.

He was also accused of breaking into Mernda Primary School twice in a week and stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronics, but the charges were among a series struck out at sentencing.

The court heard Bell used fake $100 notes to defraud a number of retail and hospitality businesses.

He used a fake $100 note to buy runners from the Asics store at Bundoora’s Uni Hill Factory Outlets, before using another to get a sandwich, drink and $86 change from a Subway store on August 31.

Bell also managed to buy an ice-cream and get $90 change from Cold Rock Bundoora on September 1, the court heard.

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But he ran out of luck when he tried to use the fake bills at Case Monkey in Bundoora on August 31, and at Bundoora’s Asics, Adidas and Nike stores on September 14, with staff realising the notes were counterfeit.

Magistrate Stephen Ballek noted Bell had “a significant and relevant criminal history”, having previously spent time in jail before the latest offences.

He said Bell’s reoffending had been brought about by ice use.

Mr Ballek sentenced Bell to 13 months’ jail, with a non-parole period of seven months.

Having already served 162 days of pre-sentence detention, he will be eligible for parole in less than two months.

Mr Ballek said he would have ordered Bell spend 20 months behind bars if he had not pleaded guilty.

He was also fined $1500 and his licence was disqualified for six months.