Cranbourne West car thief’s dopey DNA-filled bong fail ends in jail

A Cranbourne West car thief who takes drugs because they “help him think clearly” wasn’t paying attention when he left his DNA-filled bong in a stolen car.

A thief left a homemade bong full of his DNA in a stolen car outside his own house.

A self-incriminating thief who left a homemade bong full of his DNA in a stolen car outside his Cranbourne West house has been jailed.

Joshua Phillips was also found asleep behind the wheel of another nicked car in Frankston with a smorgasbord of stolen gear and a bag of tools used for break-ins.

Phillips, who sometimes goes by the name Joshua Jones, pleaded guilty to a series of theft, drugs, unlicensed driving and bail breach offences at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old concreter also admitted breaching a community corrections order he was meant to be serving for similar thieving offending.

The court heard in March this year Phillips — who doesn’t have a driving licence — nicked a car from Sale which was later seen doing a petrol drive-off in Cranbourne.

In April he stole a car from Merinda Park railway station that was spotted on CCTV driving along Peninsula Link.

The same day he went back to the train station and pilfered another car, leaving the original one nearby.

He took his latest stolen vehicle to Officer and stole two sets of car keys from a nursery employee’s vehicle.

The car owner saw their car keys had been taken, so took the battery out overnight to try and prevent the vehicle being stolen.

But Phillips wasn’t deterred, and went back later to take the car.

Once he realised the battery was not there he broke into a nearby ute, took that vehicle’s battery and used it to steal the employee’s car.

Police found him asleep behind the wheel of the employee’s car in Frankston the next day with the keys still in the ignition.

Also inside were bags of ice and a raft of stolen goods, including fishing rods, camping gear, electrical equipment and car manuals, as well as his fingerprints and DNA.

He said he had purchased the car “in Pakenham for $500 from a mate”.

His defence lawyer said Phillips had a “disruptive” childhood and began drinking alcohol and using ice as a teen growing up in Warrnambool.

He said he had ADHD, borderline intellectual functioning and was subject to “impulsive tendencies” that led to poor decision-making.

He said Phillips took drugs because they “helped him think clearly”, but knew they were what precipitated his criminal behaviour.

Magistrate Vicky Prapas said a prison term was the only appropriate sentence she could impose.

“He has an extreme criminal history and a serious problem with illegal drugs,” Ms Prapas said.

“He has had a number of opportunities to address his issues (on corrections orders), but it is regrettable he didn’t take advantage of them.

“He is focused, determined and persistent in making concentrated efforts to steal cars.”

Phillips was jailed for a total of eight months, fined $1500 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.