Christopher Dehaas: Narre Warren burglar cooked roast, snags, stole booze
A hungry thief made himself right at home in someone else’s house, cooking up a storm. Butt it was where he hid the drugs that raised eyebrows.
South East
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A brazen burglar cooked a roast and helped himself to the holidaying homeowner’s booze, all the while being caught on camera.
Christopher Anthony Dehaas broke into the man’s empty Narre Warren North property, taking the time to cook up the feast, including sausages, before attempting to flee with four cans of Jack Daniels.
But the homeowner had been watching on a phone app linked to cameras around the house, and called in the cops who caught the culprit red-handed.
When Dehaas was searched in police cells later that night officers discovered a bag of ice had been secreted in the crack of his buttocks.
The Frankston 35-year-old panel beater pleaded guilty to burglary, theft, drug, driving and bail breach charges at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, June 10.
The court heard about 8pm on April 4 the homeowner logged onto his phone app to see what was happening at his Narre Warren North home.
To his dismay he could see Dehaas walking round the back yard drinking booze and smoking ciggies.
Police arrived on the scene within 10 minutes and arrested Dehaas with four cans of Jack Daniels that had been stolen from the fridge.
He was taken back to the Dandenong police station and a body search in the cells uncovered a bag of meth hidden in the crevice of his bottom.
He told officers he had been at the house since 3.30pm that day, “had made himself at home” and put a roast in the oven.
He said he also cooked some sausages, and had a few drinks and smoked cigarettes.
Dehaas reckoned the house belonged to his mate’s father and he was allowed to use it.
But the home did not belong to anyone he knew nor was he given permission to be there.
He was on bail at the time over unlicensed driving and court order breach charges and should have been abiding by a curfew and living at his previous address in Seaford.
His defence lawyer said Dehaas had longstanding issues with drugs and mental health, but recently he had “a change in perspective” and was determined to remain substance-free.
Dehaas piped up from his prison media room, saying he had mended his ways.
He said “life’s been a bit tough, a bit sketchy” for him lately but now he was “not interested in the drugs anymore, to be honest”, and he had work to go back to, family support and accommodation available.
He said he had been staying in a unit at a friend’s factory in Frankston and was able to go back there, but when questioned he said he didn’t know the surname of the man who owned the factory and he struggled to remember the address.
Magistrate Greg Connellan said the limited details of the factory unit was a concern, as was his long list of priors.
He said he would have him assessed for a community corrections order but even if found suitable that was likely to be imposed in conjunction with a jail term.
Dehaas was remanded in custody to be sentenced on June 22.
