Lisa Maree Tanner, 29, faces Bundaberg court

When a package was left in the mailbox of a local business, a woman saw it as an opportunity to steal it for her own personal gain. Read how it all went down in court.

Lisa Maree Tanner outside Bundaberg Magistrates Court.

An opportunistic thief who stole a parcel from the mailbox of a Bundaberg South business has faced the Bundaberg Magistrates Court on several charges.

Lisa Maree Tanner, 29, pleaded guilty in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court to seven charges including stealing, obstructing police, fail to appear, failure to properly dispose of a syringe, contravention of police direction, possession of utensils and possession of utensils that had been used.

On one day in November 2021, Tanner was walking past Waldo’s Mower Doctor at Bundaberg South when she took a package from the business’s mailbox which contained a $600 carburetor.

Tanner was later recognised by a member of the public after the business had posted CCTV to their Facebook page asking if anyone could identify the thief.

Police caught up with Tanner, giving her a notice to appear in court.

Later that day, she returned the equipment to Bundaberg Police Station in working condition and it was returned to Waldo’s Mower Doctor.

CCTV footage showed Lisa Maree Tanner, 29, stole a package from the mailbox of Waldo's Mower Doctor.

She contravened a police notice on December 16 and also failed to appear in court on January 28.

On February 7, she was found by police on Walker St and failed to provide a lawful reason for not turning up to court.

Police conducted a search of Tanner and found a syringe that hadn’t been properly disposed of, as well as a scoop and pipe.

She told police she had used drugs and was arrested, but struggled with police, obstructing them.

Tanner appeared in court without representation, saying she had long-standing problems with drugs and received JobSeeker payments.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie told Tanner she would record convictions against her due to her history of dishonest offending.

“In your favour, the items stolen from the mower’s was returned to police,” Ms McGarvie said.

Tanner received a fine of $250 for failing to appear, $700 for the drug offences and obstructing police, $400 for stealing and $550 for contravening a police direction, all referred to SPER.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Lisa Maree Tanner, 29, faces Bundaberg court