‘Local hero’ who stole boats from Supercars star jailed in Victoria
A ski racer considered a ‘local hero’ in a small Victorian town has been jailed for stealing a boat belonging to a Supercars driver.
A ski-boat racer dubbed a “local hero” stole a boat belonging to Bathurst champion Michael Winterbottom.
Brett Spits admitted stealing the V8 driver’s $135,000 blue Malibu Wakesetter boat and to the theft of another boat, as well as handling two other stolen boats.
He was jailed for two years in the County Court of Victoria on Friday.
The 38-year-old former construction boss planned to strip and re-sell the boats as part of a “rebirthing” operation, the court was told.
Spits was $20 million in debt when his building company collapsed and he moved to Echuca after declaring bankruptcy, the court was told.
The well-known ski boat racer recruited panel beater Lincoln Mifsud to store the stolen property at his workshop and a rented shed.
Spits stole Mr Winterbottom’s boat from a Bundalong driveway on 24 February last year.
A distinctive Toyota Land Cruiser was nabbed on security footage towing the stolen boat from the property.
The V8 Supercars driver uploaded photos of the stolen boat to social media and people contacted him who recognised the vehicle and told him the car belonged to Spits.
The next night Spits stole another boat valued at $140,000 from a different Bundalong property.
An anonymous tipster spotted this boat at Mifsud’s workshop and called police who raided his and Spits’ properties on February 28.
Two boats stolen from Mulwala in New South Wales in January 2020 and Mr Winterbottom’s were also found at the shed Mifsud rented.
In total the stolen boats and a trailer were valued at $525,000.
The panel beater considered Spits’ a “local hero” after meeting him through the boat-racing community, Judge Sarah Dawes said in her sentencing remarks.
She said Mifsud suffered a “significant fall from grace” and lost his business in the fall out from the crimes. He pleaded guilty to four counts of handling stolen goods.
At the time of the thefts Spits was abusing cocaine, his finances were “dismal” and he was depressed, Judge Dawes told the court.
She said he was “well aware” the boats from NSW were stolen when he brought them over the border.
Spits must serve a year and three months before he is eligible for parole, while Mifsud avoided jail but was ordered to serve a two-year community corrections order.