Ahssan Abassi guilty in Dandenong Court to credit card theft and expensive Chadstone shopping spree
A Cranbourne man who stole his colleague’s credit card and went on a Chadstone shopping spree with his younger sister has said “prescription medication” made him do it.
South East
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A Cranbourne man who stole his colleague’s bank card from their workplace lunch room took his sister on a pre-Christmas shopping spree to Chadstone.
Ahssan Abassi pleaded guilty in the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on February 29 to theft and obtaining property by deception charges.
The court heard Abassi had been at work in Dandenong South with the victim on December 16 in 2022, both on their lunch break.
The victim left his wallet on the lunch table, when Abassi saw his opportunity and nabbed the victim’s credit card.
Abassi proceeded to go on a more than $500 shopping spree in the southeastern suburbs, including spending up big in luxury stores at Chadstone Shopping Centre.
The court heard Abassi had taken his sister to Melbourne’s largest shopping centre in the evening of December 16, where they spent $259 in David Jones, $65 at cosmetic giant Mecca and $129.95 in Victoria’s Secret.
Abassi also purchased $75.10 of items from a BP servo as well as getting his car washed later in the same evening in Cranbourne.
CCTV footage captured him making the purchases inside Chadstone and BP.
The court heard the victim and his wife only realised the credit card had been stolen the following day, when the purchases history updated in their account.
Three months later, police conducted a search warrant on Abassi’s house, where they found a number of the items purchased in the spending spree.
In interview, Abassi told police his sister had no idea he’d stolen the credit card as he made full admissions to the theft.
“I was stupid, I wanted to buy something,” he said.
“I destroyed it (the card), I cut it in half and put it in the bin.”
In court on Thursday, Abassi told Magistrate Peter Reardon he had been “under the influence” of oxycodone and another strong prescription pain medication at the time.
“It was stupid and I’m sorry for it,” he said.
Mr Reardon said the offending was “serious”.
“People have an expectation of their workplaces and colleagues that their items and belongings are safe,” he said.
“You took an opportunity and there after went on a shopping spree.”
Abassi was convicted and fined $1000 for the offending.
