Rhyss Dee: Carpenter boss stole Bobcat, ute, tools, trailer, toilet
A druggie Highett chippy pilfered nearly $100k worth of machinery, gear and even a portaloo after hiring stuff and never taking it back.
South East
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A stealing scammer who nicked expensive machinery — and a worksite dunny — so he could pay for ice is now behind bars.
Rhyss Dee, also known as Rhyss Burrows, has already spent four months on remand but is facing more prison time for his hire company rip-offs.
The Highett 25-year-old carpentry company boss pleaded guilty to a series of theft and driving charges at the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
The court heard in December 2019 he organised a Bobcat excavator to be delivered to a Dandenong South factory site, paying by bank transfer for one day’s hire.
When it turned up he hitched it to his ute and drove off.
His bank account was then closed, he disconnected his phone number and the address he provided was found to be fake.
In July last year he hired a toilet and trailer from a Dandenong company, selling it on Facebook Marketplace for $1500 to an unsuspecting buyer.
The purchaser is now out of pocket as he had to give the dunny and trailer back to the hirer.
In August last year he hired a $10,000 large trailer, paying for one week but never taking it back.
That was recovered much later in a police sting at a Braeside factory after he had listed it for sale online.
In August 2019 he hired demolition saws worth $4000 from a Cheltenham shop, flogging one to a Parkdale pawnbrokers.
His final crime was in April this year when he pretended to look at vehicles at a Cheltenham car dealership, but instead he jumped in an expensive ute and sped off.
Dee was tracked to his Highett address, arrested and remanded in custody.
He had also fled from a crash he caused in Mordialloc in January last year and was caught driving while disqualified in December 2019.
The $25,000 Bobcat, the $47,000 ute and a $2000 demolition saw are yet to be recovered, and he is refusing to say where they went.
Defence lawyer Bernard Campigli said Dee had a troubled childhood, attending several primary schools and struggling with ADHD.
He said he prospered on an apprenticeship, but also came into contact with tradies who did drugs which drew him into using ice.
He said his client was hopeful of moving to Queensland to be with his mother upon release and he promised to repay his victims for their losses.
Dee, who has already spent 137 days on remand, said he was apologetic about his crimes.
“I want to make it right, I know I have done the wrong thing,” he said.
“I want to do the right thing to make up for my mistakes.”
Magistrate Andrew Halse said he had no one to blame but himself.
“You have made a conscious choice to lead a life of crime and drugs,” Mr Halse said.
“This isn’t petty stuff, there are impacts on others and many of the items have not been recovered.
“The 137 days (you have been in custody) is not enough.”
Dee was remanded and will be sentenced on September 14.
He also faces a lengthy driving ban and having to pay compensation orders worth around $80,000.
