Weird thieves: Packing meat, dead dad robber, hungry thirsty burglar
Unusual isn’t the word to describe our strangest stealers who have faced court for committing some pretty peculiar pilfering crimes.
South East
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From a shoplifter who shoved meat packs down his pants to a rogue who robbed a mate’s dead dad to an empty-belly burglar that cooked up a roast, here are a few of our more offbeat thieves.
PACKING MEAT
This career criminal sure has an ‘interesting’ array of offences on his rap sheet.
With his toothbrush.
The 29-year-old homeless unemployed tiler also has a history of hating the justice system, creating ‘artworks’ using his own faeces as ‘paint’ and smashing up court phones.
In March this year Alizada walked into Dandenong Coles and was seen putting three tins of tuna into his duffle bag.
When police searched him they found more stolen foods, including salami in his back pocket and pepperoni concealed down the front of his underpants.
Cops also uncovered items taken from Kmart and small bags of cannabis, heroin and a knife.
Alizada told the court he knows he needs rehab and was hopeful of a better life in a new state after he was released.
He was jailed for 120 days, with 65 days classed as time served.
LOW ACT
If stealing from a generous mate by nicking his dead dad’s tools wasn’t bad enough, pawning the ill-gotten gear to pay for a “good time” with a lady friend surely takes the cake.
But that’s exactly what Arthur Papas did.
In May 2018 a caring pal of Papas had offered him a place to stay as he had nowhere to live.
The kind mate said he could stay at his deceased father’s home in Altona until he found his feet.
But while he was there Papas stole $1285 worth of power tools and pawned them for $290.
When he was arrested the Frankston 43-year-old disability support pensioner admitted stealing and hocking the tools, saying he needed the cash as “I met a female I wanted to have a good time with”.
The dishonest druggie also stole a $2000 pushbike then flogged it on Gumtree and was caught using drugs in a park toilet after concerned members of the public had reported dodgy dunny activity taking place.
The magistrate said his “irritating and hurtful” crimes might be “low end”, but they still had impacts.
Papas was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond, and must pay $500 to the court fund and continue his medical and drug treatment.
EMPTY-BELLY BURGLAR
Some thieves take a snack or perhaps a soft drink while robbing a joint to make sure they have the energy for a getaway.
A magistrate was somewhat startled to hear police read out the brazen burglar had cooked a roast, some snags and helped himself to cans of Jack Daniels while he raided a Narre Warren North house in April this year.
But the homeowner had been watching on a phone app linked to cameras scattered around his property, and called in cops who caught the gourmet gangster red-handed.
Dehaas told officers he “had made himself at home”, put a roast in the oven, cooked sausages, had a few drinks and smoked cigarettes.
He piped up from his prison media room saying he had now mended his substance-affected, thieving 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”.
The magistrate remanded Dehaas in custody and sent him to be assessed for a community corrections order.
RESTLESS ROBBER
Some people snore, others may toss and turn, but this sheep-counting crook reckons he steals while having 40 winks.
Bleary-eyed burglar Sandy Pira blamed sleepwalking for his series of thefts he said were committed while he was in the land of nod.
In January this year the Dandenong 40-year-old ice abuser broke into one home through a front window, stealing a backpack, purse, driving licence, and house and car keys.
He then walked to another nearby house and broke into that, this time while the victim was asleep inside, and picked up a jewellery box, more car keys and a wallet.
But the homeowner had heard noises, and with his uncle, chased Pira down the street.
They grabbed him in a nearby driveway and performed a citizen’s arrest, holding him down until police arrived.
Officers found a small deal bag of ice in his wallet as well as the missing items in the backpack.
He told police he didn’t do the burglaries and “sleepwalks sometimes” and he was in fact the victim as he had been “set upon” by the two men.
He also said he had found the stolen items on the street.
Pira was jailed for six months, minus 127 days he had already served, and placed on a 12-month community corrections order.
PINK BIKE BLUE
A colourful crook who nicked mail from her notorious neighbours gave herself up - by riding her bright-hued BMX with no helmet on straight past a marked police car.
In April this year Rachelle Marie Wilson was pulled over with more than 50 sealed envelopes that had been taken from various units of Frankston’s Ambassador complex.
Officers noticed the 37-year-old riding a pink Mongoose BMX bike, sans head protection, as she sped past them.
So they took her to one side to warn her of the dangers of riding a cycle without a helmet.
While chatting to her they noticed several envelopes sticking out of her handbag, none of which had her name on.
A search revealed another 54 sealed envelopes with bank, superannuation, and government department stamps on them.
She told police that she was in a rush and had “swept them all up” and would sort them out later to “see what was in my name”.
Wilson, who has longstanding drug and mental health issues, was referred to a court program that deals with criminals who have a cognitive impairment.
DIRTY DAKS
A grubby thief had some explaining to do when Frankston Bunnings loss prevention officers came across him leaving their store with a big bulge in his pants.
Andrew Dennis Strange was nabbed nicking drills by putting stolen drills down his pants – inside his underwear.
When the 41-year-old pilferer was confronted in the carpark he came clean about the theft and revealed that yes, he was indeed hiding tools in his Y-fronts.
He was on corrections orders and bail for other thieving offences at the time of this June 2019 crime.
His defence lawyer said her client had an acquired brain injury and had struggled with mental health and homelessness issues.
Bunnings refused to have the drills returned because the packaging had been broken and the tools had potentially come into contact with Strange’s privates.
He was convicted and fined $500.
