Kieren Henry John Devecchi left DNA at Rockhampton crime scenes

A jailed Jehovah Witness, who stole expensive power tools during a spree and left a trail of evidence at break-in scenes, still hasn’t mastered crim life despite his “old” age and long rap sheet.  

Kieren Henry John Devecchi, 53, has been sentenced after his DNA was found at several crime scenes in the Rockhampton region. Picture: Facebook

An “old” criminal stole expensive power tools before leaving behind a half-drunk VB can and a screwdriver with his DNA on it.

Kieren Henry John Devecchi, 53, then ate a packet of biscuits in the same residence which was being renovated, police prosecutor Corey O’Connor told Rockhampton Magistrates Court.

Devecchi had entered the downstairs area of an Allenstown address sometime between August 14-18, 2022, stealing many Milwaukee power tools and leaving behind the beer can and a screwdriver that didn’t belong to the victims.

Mr O’Connor said the defendant was identified through the DNA left on the screwdriver.

Devecchi also left his DNA behind sometime between September 8-13, 2022, at a highset rural residence at Fairybower that was not inhabited but furnished and still used daily.

He also left his DNA behind when he trespassed on The Cathedral College grounds between September 9-12, 2022.

When police executed a search warrant at an Allenstown residence, Devecchi was one of three males found at the address and he claimed ownership of a box trailer which contained copper wiring.

Mr O’Connor said the box trailer was located directly behind a stolen Ford Falcon seen in CCTV capturing the theft of copper wire from a business in Canning Street, Rockhampton, on November 27, 2023 at 5.50am.

He said two males could be seen in the CCTV taking the copper wire.

Just over two weeks later, Devecchi’s identity in another theft was given away by his distinctive tattoos, Mr O’Connor told the court.

Devecchi and a co-offender entered a yard in Campbell Street, Rockhampton, and walked into a carport where they stole tools, machines and an escooter valued at $3000.

Mr O’Connor said Devecchi had 47 convictions on his criminal record for entering premises and dwellings and at his last sentence in April 2023, he was given a two-year prison term for an enter premise offence with parole eligibility in on April 3, 2023.

The court heard Devecchi was sentenced in Rockhampton District Court in June 2022 to a three-year prison term for a “spate of property offending” between February 9 and March 7, 2021.

At that time he had a 14-page criminal record.

Defence lawyer Jess King said Devecchi moved to Rockhampton five years ago and his mother lived in Mackay where he intended on returning to as she had leukaemia and needed help.

She said her client had worked as a professional fisherman and then a machine operator “before drugs took a hold”.

Ms King said drugs were the reason for the majority of his offending on his criminal record (during his district court sentence in 2022, defence barrister Phil Hardcastle said Devecchi became involved with methamphetamine while working as a professional fisherman after leaving home at 20).

Ms King said her client had two adult children, neither of whom had much contact with him because he chose drugs over them.

She also said Devecchi was a Jehovah Witness but he was turned away during his criminal career.

However, he had re-engaged with the church while in prison and believed the church would support him upon his release as he did not want to return to the drug and crime lifestyle.

“At his age, he’s had enough,” Ms King said.

“He feels old.”

Devecchi pleaded guilty on August 28 to two counts of trespass, one of enter premise and commit indictable offence, one of possessing suspected tainted property and one of entering a dwelling and stealing.

He was sentenced to 15 months prison with 250 days pre-sentence custody declared as time served and immediate parole eligibility.

Originally published as Kieren Henry John Devecchi left DNA at Rockhampton crime scenes