Dean Lyons: Dandenong druggie thief’s blood-filled syringe fail
Some cases are much easier to solve than others, especially if crooks literally leave a part of themselves at the crime scene, like this Dandenong druggie.
South East
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A thieving junkie who raided basement cages for bike parts was easily tracked down after he left behind a discarded bloody syringe, a court has heard.
Dean Lyons stole saddles, lights, a puncture repair kit and for some reason a New Zealand flag from apartment block storage units before shooting up.
But the druggie didn’t think to do the safe thing and take his syringe with him, instead leaving behind a DNA-filled plunger for police to work with.
Then as he left he tried to nick parcels from the foyer of the Abbotsford apartment complex, he was confronted by a resident and ordered to put them back.
The Dandenong North 32-year-old pleaded guilty to burglary, dishonesty, drug, driving and bail breach charges at the online Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
As well as the August storage unit theft he also used stolen bank cards to buy McDonald’s food in Springvale and Clayton South and failed to turn up for court.
Lyons, who has never held a licence, also repeatedly drove while banned and was found hiding in a car wash with cannabis and empty deal bags after a police chase in Dandenong North.
His defence lawyer said his client, who “was no stranger to the court”, had complex mental health needs due to an intellectual disability and excessive drug use.
He said he was hit by a car when walking in 2013 which also “reduced his capability to self-manage” his behaviour.
Magistrate Tara Hartnett said Lyons had been in and out of jail, breached various court orders and continually relapsed into drug abuse.
“There is a need to protect the community, you can’t go breaking into people’s storage units and taking things,” Ms Hartnett aid.
“I accept you have a lot of issues, there are challenges, but there is support out there for you.
“You have to do something about your drug use, you have to make good decisions, we don’t want you in jail but you just keep reoffending.”
Lyons was jailed for four-and-a-half months, minus 59 days he has already served.
