Russell Peter Collins jailed for crime spree after ‘thoughtful criminal behaviour’

A man jailed for a suburban crime spree has raised the eyebrows of a senior judge with his “thoughtful criminal behaviour”.

A man behind a suburban crime spree, whose “rather thoughtful bit of criminal behaviour” saw him avoid police for more than two weeks, has been jailed.

Russell Peter Collins appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Wednesday via video link, facing 13 charges for a string of crimes committed between September 16 and October 3.

The court heard Collins, who has been released on parole from prison twice, stole a Hyundai hatchback, drove it unlicensed at least six times - with stolen number plates - and also stole petrol five times from service stations across Darwin.

Russell Peter Collins has been jailed for a crime spree . Picture: Supplied

Judge Richard Wallace said he had not seen someone go to such lengths had to avoid being caught by police.

“I’ve been around courts … listening to cases of this sort for 40 years or so and as far as I can recall this is the only case I’ve ever heard of … where someone putting on a false number plate, took the trouble to steal an appropriate number plate from an appropriate other vehicle in order to falsely plate a car,” Judge Wallace said.

“That rather thoughtful bit of criminal behaviour made it possible for the stolen vehicle to remain at large a bit longer than what it would have otherwise been the case.

“Whether it was you who instigated, or was involved in, the first stealing of this motor vehicle, or whether it was somebody else, what is clear, Mr Collins, is that despite being on parole for the second time … you were still hanging around with bad actors.”

Mr Wallace said it seemed Collins was “once again in the grips of an amphetamine addiction at the time of this offending.” at the time of his offending.

“It’s obviously a problem that gets the better of you,” he said.

Russell Peter Collins has come before a Darwin court. Picture: Supplied

When he was arrested by police on October 3, Collins had a small amount of cannabis in his possession.

“I just shake my head in disbelief that someone who’s on parole, that’s been locked up intermittently for breaching parole, would be carrying cannabis,” Judge Wallace said.

Collins pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated unlawful use of a motor vehicle, five counts of stealing, six counts of driving while unlicensed and possessing a schedule two drug.

He was sentenced to 12 months in prison on top of his existing sentence, which the court heard was around two years.

He was also fined $1500 and must pay seven victim levies of $150 each.