Berwick thief Chad Gueco had 13 stolen mobile phones after police found him high on ice
Cops had seen a car parked in an Endeavour Hills driveway with two different stolen number plates attached. When they went to check it out they found an unlucky Berwick thief had made a wrong call by hiding 13 nicked mobile phones in a bag.
South East
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An unlucky druggie caught with 13 stolen mobile phones in his car was so high on ice he didn’t realise he had put two different stolen number plates on his car.
Chad Gueco then lied to police about his name, even though officers could see bank cards in his vehicle with his ID on them.
The Berwick 26-year-old was nabbed at an Endeavour Hills property, off his heads on ice, slurring his words with bloodshot eyes.
Gueco also admitted threatening to kill his mum and dad, throwing a mobile phone at his mother’s car, and being caught in possession of a stolen police station stamp and nicked bank cheques.
He pleaded guilty to drug, theft-related, criminal damage and bail breach charges at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
The court heard at around noon on February 7 this year a police patrol discovered a car parked in an Endeavour Hills driveway had two different number plates and both had been stolen.
The car was searched and police found a bag with 13 stolen phones and other electronic devices, as well as cannabis, ice and a driver’s licence belonging to someone else.
Gueco gave police fake details, but alert officers knew he was lying when they saw two bank cards with his real name on them hidden under the bonnet of the car.
He told officers he “found” the number plates and admitted the drugs were his, but “couldn’t say” where the phones came from.
In May he threw his mobile at his mother’s car in a fit of rage, causing $200 worth of damage to the windscreen.
Later that same month he called his mum, telling her he was going to kill both her and his father.
He was arrested on July 23 and found with a stamp that had been taken from Dandenong police station and several stolen Westpac bank cheques.
He told police the items belonged “to a friend”.
In court his lawyer said he had already served 47 days in custody and still required an in-depth mental health report that normally takes six to eight weeks to compile, which would be an unfair delay on her client if he had to wait on remand.
She said Gueco would benefit from in-community support and supervision and should be released on time served.
Magistrate Suzette Dootjes said she was prepared to give him another chance on a corrections order.
“The important thing you need to understand is why you have been given an opportunity to go back into the community,” Ms Dootjes said.
“It is important you take these opportunities with corrections.”
Gueco was released on time served to do an 18-month community corrections order with drug and mental health treatment conditions.
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