Bodhi Amendolia pleads guilty to possessing car stolen from Varsity Lakes

A young man has told police his mate left a stolen car behind when officers also found drugs during a raid on his home.

Bodhi Vincenzo Amendolia at a previous court appearance. Picture: Sam Turner

A Maroochydore man has been granted immediate parole after a stolen car was found at his home during a search warrant by police.

Bodhi Vincenzo Amendolia told police a Subaru wagon, which was reported stolen from Varsity Lakes Tavern last year, was left at his Maroochydore home by a friend and he had no knowledge of its origin.

Despite his claim, he was charged with numerous offences including unlawful possession of a motor vehicle, possessing dangerous drugs and utensils and authority required to possess explosives. He pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday to all charges.

Police prosecutor Brendan Newman said officers swooped on the Maroochydore home at 6.54pm on January 24 and scoured it.

Sergeant Newman said police uncovered marijuana in a black pouch, which the 21-year-old said he had a prescription card for, but placed the drug into his pouch from the container.

In a garbage bag more marijuana was found along with scales, a pipe and hand grinder.

The court heard Amendolia told officers he had shotgun shells in a locked safe, with the 21-year-old telling officers he took them from a mate’s home because they “looked cool”.

Amendolia pleaded guilty. Picture: Sam Turner

Sergeant Newman said the most serious offences related to the Subaru wagon which was found in the garage with no registration plates.

The vehicle’s identification number revealed it was reported stolen. A police investigation revealed there were multiple number plate recognition activations in the Sunshine Coast area in the time leading up to the search warrant.

During questioning with police, Amendolia said a friend brought the vehicle there three to four months beforehand because his friend had nowhere to park the car. He did not give police his mate’s name.

Amendolia’s fingerprints were found inside the car along with a receipt inside the vehicle for an automotive shop from December 3 last year.

Defence solicitor Rose Killip said it was a “de-escalation” of offending on his criminal history, which included a gun rampage in Buderim in late 2022 where he spent actual time behind bars.

Ms Killip said since then Amendolia continued to have good support in the community, worked full time, engaged with a therapist and had finished parole.

Magistrate Rod Madsen acknowledged 21-year-old’s progress on his previous parole and opted to keep him in the community.

The Maroochydore man was jailed for 11 months but released on immediate parole.

Originally published as Bodhi Amendolia pleads guilty to possessing car stolen from Varsity Lakes