Damian Brewer: Junkie’s gallery, quarry, bike shop burglary spree
A thirsty thief who raided a gallery and a quarry came undone because he couldn’t resist an icy pole and a soft drink.
South East
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A burglar who stole a rare $2500 gemstone from McClelland Gallery in Langwarrin — to swap for a bag of drugs — has fronted court.
Damian Brewer also broke into a Seaford bike shop, nicking a $10,000 Specialized cycle, and busted into Langwarrin concrete quarry offices and stole a radio and equipment.
But the Carrum Downs 48-year-old left behind his DNA on a Zooper Dooper icy pole wrapper and his saliva on a can of soft drink at the crime scenes.
And the former navy seaman was caught riding the posh pushie two days after he stole it.
Brewer pleaded guilty to a series of burglaries, thefts, criminal damage and weapons charges at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The court heard sometime between August 4 and 6 last year Brewer broke into the McClelland Gallery in Langwarrin by removing a flyscreen and breaking a window.
Once inside he forced a lock on a cabinet and took gems and rocks, with one of them valued at $2500.
While there he went to a fridge and removed a can of drink, consumed half of it but left the container behind when he fled.
A few days later he broke into offices at the Hanson cement quarry in Langwarrin, trying to steal a safe, but failing.
Instead he nicked equipment valued at $500 and as he felt a bit peckish, nabbed himself a Zooper Dooper icy pole and ate it.
But he had left the wrapper with his saliva on it behind, and with his DNA on police file, was an easy catch for cops.
Brewer also smashed a Seaford bus shelter with a multi-tool while drunk in March.
When he was later arrested he said he stole the gem and rocks to swap for ice.
And last week he pleaded guilty to stealing a $10,000 bike from Velo Therapy in Seaford after burgling the Wells Rd shop in April this year.
His defence lawyer said he stole because he needed funds to feed his daily drug habit and was “at a crossroads” in his life, requiring support for his substance abuse and mental health issues.
Magistrate Vicky Prapas sent Brewer, who has already spent 87 days in custody, for a community corrections order assessment and remanded him to be sentenced on July 14.
