Benjamin Owen Harding Maclean found with stolen motorbike in Kenilworth
A Sunshine Coast man named in swirling online rumours as the ‘prime suspect’ of a daring shipping container heist panicked when he feared he was about to be implicated.
Police & Courts
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A North Maleny man who became paranoid about being implicated in the alleged theft of a shipping container when Facebook users started pointing the finger at him, dumped a stolen $12,000 motorcycle in a panic.
Benjamin Owen Harding Maclean was accused online as being the mastermind behind the theft of a shipping container and a $12,000 motorcycle sometime between May 3 and May 18.
Caloundra Magistrates Court heard the victim’s mates spotted the damaged bike at a Kenilworth home linked to Maclean on August 31.
Maclean later told police he found the motorcycle between May 18 and May 25 near two containers at a hinterland property, and he knew it belonged to the victim.
The 20-year-old at one point became aware he was being outed on Facebook as the “prime suspect” in the container’s disappearance.
He panicked and hid the stolen motorbike at his partner’s father’s property, to avoid being busted.
The court heard the bike was found trashed and lost $5200 in value, which police sought as compensation.
Maclean told the court he only had the bike for two months and denied damaging it, saying it was already wrecked when he found it.
Magistrate Catherine Benson said she had no evidence of the condition of the bike when Maclean found it and did not order compensation.
Maclean pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a motor vehicle with intent to deprive.
He was placed on a $1000 good behaviour bond for six months and no conviction was recorded.
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Originally published as Benjamin Owen Harding Maclean found with stolen motorbike in Kenilworth
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