Teen girl stole thousands of dollars’ worth of alcohol, $3 shoes from Big W

A Hervey Bay teen went on a three-month crime spree while on probation for other offences, hitting liquor outlets and stores. She faced Children’s Court this week.

The girl stole thousands of dollars worth of alcohol.

A teenage girl who stole everything from thousands of dollars' worth of alcohol from liquor stores to a $3 pair of shoes at Big W has been sentenced to 80 hours of community service.

The girl, 14, pleaded guilty to entering a premises and committing an indictable offence, multiple counts of stealing and unlawful use of a motor vehicle when she faced Hervey Bay Children’s Court on Wednesday.

Police prosecutor Louise McConnell said on August 28, 2024, about 10.30am police were made aware of three females stealing a large quantity of alcohol from Liquorland at Cleveland Harbourside Shopping Centre.

She said the three teens were said to be headed towards Cleveland train station with a trolley filled with stolen items.

Police started patrols around the train station, with members of the public informing officers they had seen three people with a trolley running down the footpath next to the police station.

The officers saw the 14-year-old girl walk out of a bush and get into an Uber.

Police stopped the vehicle and arrested the girl, observing a large quantity of alcohol in a tipped-over trolley in the location the girl had walked from.

Police later found and arrested two alleged female c0-offenders.

The teen was taken to Cleveland Police Station.

The court heard there was clear CCTV footage of the offence, which showed one of the co-offenders filling a trolley with various bottles of alcohol while the teen and another alleged co-offender stood watch before they left the business with the items.

The total value of the items that were taken was $2021, Ms McConnell said.

In a separate incident, the teen stole alcohol from BWS in Urangan, the court heard.

On June 8, about 10pm, she entered the business with another girl and they took a total of 14 items, some upwards of $100 each, Ms McConnell told the court.

On July 8, about 7.23pm, the girl again attended BWS in Urangan.

She entered the store, this time with a juvenile male, the court heard.

On CCTV footage they were seen to pick up multiple bottles of alcohol and exit the store without attempting to pay for the items.

On September 24, the girl went into Big W at Pialba without shoes on, the court heard.

She then took a pair of shoes from the shoe section, put them on her feet and walked out of the store, making no attempt to pay for the $3 item.

The incident was captured on CCTV.

Hervey Bay Court. Photo: Tracey Joynson

On September 20, the girl went to Harris Scarf in Hervey Bay at 4.45pm with two other females.

She and the other two females shoved about 15 polo shirts into bags they were holding, Ms McConnell said.

Each of the shirts was valued at $59.99, she said.

All three then left with store without making any attempt to pay.

The teen was later identified through CCTV footage.

On August 14, she l attended Priceline Pharmacy at Pialba about 1.20pm along with another teen.

The two concealed a number of items, including pregnancy tests and false lashes down their pants.

The total value of the goods amounted to about $200.

The girls left the store without making any attempt to pay for the items.

On August 12, the girl again attended BWS in Urangan.

This time she was with a male co-offender, and the two concealed about 20 bottles alcohol within each of their bags.

The total value of the goods was about $1460, the court heard.

The two left the business without attempting to pay but were captured on CCTV footage.

In relation to the charge of car theft, the court heard the girl’s fingerprints had been found on a car that had been stolen from Anglicare Southern Queensland.

The car had been stolen from an address at Nambour, the court heard.

The vehicle was driven to Hervey Bay by somebody and found on July 20.

A forensic examination of the car was carried out and the girl’s fingerprints were found on the outside driver’s rear door frame, the outside rear passenger door frame and on the cash tin located inside the vehicle.

The court heard the girl had been before the court in May and the offences had breached a probation order.

The girl had been performing well at school and in sport before disengaging, the court heard.

She had also been employed until her employers were told about her dishonesty offences.

The teenager had been living with her grandmother, the court was told.

The court heard the girl had a troubled background, with her mother struggling with substance abuse and domestic violence.

The girl’s mother was in court supporting her.

Magistrate Trinity McGarvie said the girl’s offending came at great cost to the community and the victim businesses.

She was sentenced to 80 hours of community service and no convictions were recorded.

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Originally published as Teen girl stole thousands of dollars’ worth of alcohol, $3 shoes from Big W