Clayton Saunders stole mining ute from Emerald, drove to Rocky

An opportunistic thief has been jailed for brazenly stealing a car from Emerald and over $2000 in pokie winnings from a Rockhampton venue.

Clayton Saunders, 31, stole a white Ford Ranger belonging to mining company TerraCom Limited from Emerald and drove it to Rockhampton.

An opportunistic thief has been jailed for brazenly stealing a car from Emerald and over $2000 in pokie winnings from a Rockhampton venue.

Clayton Saunders, 31, stumbled across a white Ford Ranger belonging to mining company TerraCom Limited, absent a driver with the motor running, on Ruby Street, Emerald, about 11.40am on February 12, 2023.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Caitlin Booker said Saunders drove the vehicle to Rockhampton, and around the Beef Capital, until his sister told him to dump the vehicle.

“He drove it to Kabra and left it in high grass,” she said.

Police found Saunders walking away from the stolen car on Kabra Road with a metal drug pipe in his back pocket which he told police he had used that morning to smoke marijuana.

Checks revealed his licence had been suspended by the State Penalties Enforcement Registry on April 29, 2022.

Months earlier, in October 2022, Saunders carried out another opportunistic crime, taking off with someone else’s pokie winnings ticket.

Senior Constable Booker said the victim had been playing the pokies at Glenmore Tavern on October 20, 2o22, when he got up about 10pm, reserved his machine and went to the toilet.

She said Saunders took the machine off reserve, hit the payout button and took the winning ticket, valued at $2292.01, then left the venue hastily.

Senior Constable Booker said the defendant was tracked down by police dogs and identified through CCTV.

When he was located, he still had the ticket on him.

Defence lawyer Brendan Gimbert said the father of 10-year-old twins turned to drugs after his relationship with the children’s mother broke down and he lost his work in construction.

He said Saunders has since become addicted to ice (methamphetamines) and diagnosed with schizophrenia.

“This is the first time he has been off the drugs for a significant period,” Mr Gimbert said.

He said Saunders planned to leave the Rockhampton region once released from custody, sort “himself out” and regain employment.

Saunders pleaded guilty to one count each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, driving while SPER suspended, stealing, possessing a dangerous drug, possess a drug utensil, possessing a used syringe, contravening police direction and three counts of failing to appear in court.

He received a 12-month prison term head sentence plus 15-months probation with 39 days presentence custody declared as time already served and parole release set for November 10, 2023.

Originally published as Clayton Saunders stole mining ute from Emerald, drove to Rocky