Wade James Monk pleads guilty theft from Cooloola City Farm Nursery

A green-thumbed thief has been caught red handed on CCTV breaking into a Cooloola Coast business despite ‘growing tired’ of coming before the legal system, a court has heard.

Wade James Monk pleaded guilty on Tuesday to breaking and entering at Cooloola City Farm Nursery, Tin Can Bay, on August 30.

A young Tin Can Bay grandfather has avoided jail time after breaking into a nursery and swiping two whipper snippers which have never been recovered.

Wade James Monk pleaded guilty on Tuesday to entering by break and stealing from the Cooloola City Farm Nursery at Tin Can Bay, on August 30, 2023.

The man, a 35-year-old step-grandfather, was captured on CCTV footage forcibly opening the lock of a garden shed and taking the machines.

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Wade James Monk forcibly opened the lock of a garden shed at Cooloola City Farm Nursery, taking two Whipper Snippers which were never recovered.

Police prosecutor Christie Mahoney said the Tin Can Bay man looked “directly at the camera”, which also captured clear shots of two distinct tattoos.

The incident occurred while he was on 12 months’ probation issued in 2023 by a Maryborough Court.

Monk’s lawyer Chris Anderson said his client had “grown tired” of committing offences and coming before the court, to which Magistrate Bevan Hughes replied “the community is growing tired of this type of offending”.

“Behind those businesses are real families,” Mr Hughes said, adding these families have children to support just like Monk, and are still recovering after Covid.

The court heard Monk has a history of similar offences, but not since 2012.

Mr Hughes sentenced Monk to two months imprisonment, wholly suspended for 12 months.

Originally published as Wade James Monk pleads guilty theft from Cooloola City Farm Nursery