Sunshine Coast people guilty of stealing or fraud - list

A property manager jailed for ripping off her Pacific Paradise boss and a gambling addict are among the thieves and fraudsters of the Sunshine Coast. Here are some of the region’s busted thieves and fraudsters - and how they got caught.

Theft and fraud crime on the Sunshine Coast may be trending down over the past few years, but there’s still plenty of acts leaving businesses short of cash.

According to Queensland Police statistics, in 2020 there were 5662 theft offences on the Sunshine Coast.

The figure covered stealing from a dwelling, shop stealing, vehicles and other stealing.

That was down from 6810 in 2019 and 7218 in 2018.

This year there have been 3618 theft offences recorded.

Meanwhile, after peaking at 1737 offences in 2018, fraud has also faced a positive downward trend.

Last year there were 986 fraud offences, with 656 so far this year.

Here are 10 people who either stole from their workplaces or local businesses.

Kylie Bridge jailed for ripping off boss $60k

Kylie Bridge was jailed for fraud.

A property manager was jailed for ripping off almost $60,000 from her boss and spending the money on gambling and living expenses.

Kylie Bridge, 43, was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail in January for transferring money out of accounts owned by Peter Kennedy Realty at Pacific Paradise.

Maroochydore District Court heard Bridge made 42 fraudulent transactions between September 2017 and October 2, 2019.

Bridge pleaded guilty to fraud - the dishonest application of property by an employee between $30,000 and $100,000.

She had no criminal history and had started repaying the money.

Bridge was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail, suspended after nine months.

She could be sentenced again for the fraud if she commits any further offences in the next four years.

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Mower Anthony James Paton pulls a swiftie on boss in fuel card rip-off

Anthony James Paton, 33, faced court for using his employer's fuel card for personal use.

A mower operator working for a council contractor faced court for using a work fuel card to fill up his own car on the weekends.

The Glenview contactor gave Anthony James Paton, 33, a BP fuel card so he could fill mowers and slashers used to carry out maintenance work for Sunshine Coast Council and Main Roads.

During his 10 months of employment, Paton used the card to fill up his own car 13 times.

The the father-of-two made full admissions when he was interviewed by police.

Text messages revealed he had offered to pay back the $924.41 he racked up but told his boss he would need to keep his job.

At Caloundra Magistrates Court in February last year Paton pleaded guilty to 13 charges of stealing by clerks and servants.

Magistrate Graham Hillan said Paton “came within a whisker of having a jail term imposed” due to the serious nature of the offending.

Paton was fined $2000 and ordered to pay back the $924.41.

Convictions were recorded.

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Gambling addict Catherine Maree Peters jailed after stealing $400,000 from business

Convicted fraudster Catherine Maree Peters. Picture: Facebook

Sunshine Coast woman Catherine Maree Peters, 52, stole nearly $400,000 from two small businesses between 2014 and 2017.

Peters was working in accounts for Deagon IGA in 2014 when she stole $359,000 over nine months by pocketing sums of cash “daily”.

She left the business after being confronted over the missing money and took a job as payroll manager of a steel construction business at Redland Bay, Brisbane District Court heard.

Peters then used three false employee names without tax file numbers to pay herself $39,000 of fake wages – all while she was aware that police were investigating her theft from the supermarket.

Defence barrister Peter Richards told the court that Peters had a serious gambling problem but had taken steps to address her addiction, attending group therapy sessions on the Sunshine Coast.

“At least she has recognised and taken some action to cope with the addiction that she had,” Mr Richards said.

Peters pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court in November last year to stealing and fraud charges.

She was sentenced to six years’ jail but will be eligible for parole on November 4.

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Lucas Michael Wagner jailed after ‘hillbillyism’ 200k ATM stealing spree

A 40-year-old man was involved in an organised crime gang that broke through the ceiling of several Sunshine Coast ATMs to steal $204,000.

Lucas Michael Wagner was a key player in the organised crime syndicate that surveyed and broke into 13 Sunshine Coast ATMs to steal the money over a seven-month period from August 2017 to March 2018.

Maroochydore District Court heard in September the total loss to the victims, including damage to the property, was $308,000.

The criminal group’s largest yields stolen from individual ATMs were just under $114,000, $44,000 and $21,000.

Judge Michael Byrne said Wagner used grinders, a c-saw and other materials from his job as a builder to assist his “illegitimate trade”.

Wagner pleaded guilty to 28 offences on September 17, including nine counts of entering a premise and committing an indictable offence by break, nine counts of wilful damage, four counts of stealing and one of attempting to enter a premise to commit an indictable offence by break.

The court heard Wagner was jailed in 2018 for a similar break and enter offence.

Judge Michael Byrne said while Wagner’s offending was planned it also had an element of “hillbillyism” as they failed to secure funds on every occasion.

Wagner was sentence to seven years in prison with a parole eligibility date on November 19, 2022.

Wagner’s 302 days of pre-sentence custody were declared as time already served.

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Kana Patrick steals from Myer to “make kids happy”

Kana Patrick was sentenced in Maroochydore Magistrates Court for stealing items from Myer Maroochydore.

A Coast magistrate slammed a father for stealing clothing and toys from Sunshine Plaza during a bold holiday “shopping” spree.

Kana Samuel Patrick, 31, faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court in March charged with stealing nearly more than $1000 worth of clothing and toys from Myer at Sunshine Plaza.

Police prosecutor Nick Nitschke said a Myer employee reviewing CCTV footage saw Patrick and his partner with their children walking through the store on January 24.

Sergeant Nitschke said Patrick could be seen concealing clothes and toys before leaving the department store without paying.

That afternoon Patrick returned to Myer, making off with nearly $500 worth of items.

Patrick pleaded guilty to two stealing charges and was sentenced to two months in jail on each charge, wholly suspended for two years.

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Shaemis Michael McCormack steals while awaiting sentence for same crime

The Maroochydore man was waiting to be sentenced for stealing matters in Maroochydore Magistrates Court in April when he decided to use a brief adjournment to steal $184 worth of goods from Myer.

Police prosecutor Brendan Newman said a 53-year-old woman saw McCormack place items into a black Adidas bag before leaving the Maroochydore store at 1.30pm.

Sergeant Newman said a female police officer later located McCormack walking along the Riverwalk at the Sunshine Plaza and grabbed him by the right wrist to arrest him but he managed to get away.

Two other officers found McCormack waiting for his previously adjourned sentence on level one of the Maroochydore Magistrates Court after security told them a man matching his description had entered.

He originally faced seven charges including three counts of stealing, one of attempted stealing and obstructing police after he stole a number of items from Coles, Myer and JB Hi-Fi between July 6 and October 9, 2020.

He was charged with another count of stealing and obstructing police after his offences on April 7 this year.

The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to the nine charges and was placed on an eight-month suspended sentence for two years.

He was also given a 10-month prison sentence with a parole eligibility date after two months for the fresh charges.

McCormack was to be released on parole on June 6.

Two days of pre-sentence custody were declared as time already served.

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Morgan Kingsley Evans sentenced for a string of fraud and drug charges

Morgan Kingsley Evans leaves court awaiting his sentence for attempted arson.

The Mount Coolum man broke into a home stealing about $5000 worth of goods and tried to sell them for money.

Evans, 32, was sentenced in Maroochydore District Court in June for entering a dwelling to commit an indictable offence, four counts of dishonestly obtaining property from another, two counts of receiving tainted property and five minor drug offences.

The court heard Evans had committed the offences, which included taking about $5000 worth of property from a home, towards the end of 2019 and March 2020.

Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin said Evans, who was sentenced in Maroochydore District Court in May for offences which happened during the same time, wouldn’t have been given a lesser sentence if the charges ran together.

Evans was convicted on all charges and given a 30-month suspended sentence and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

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Stevie Louise Young uses pram as guise for shoplifting spree

The mum, who at the time of sentencing had twins on the way, was told by the magistrate she’d be giving birth in jail if she continued down the same path.

Stevie Louise Young pleaded guilty to stealing in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court in July last year.

Police prosecutor Stu Lydford told the court police were patrolling Sunshine Plaza on March 25 at 1pm when they were called to Myer for a suspected shoplifting.

The court heard Young had selected a pair of Tommy Hilfiger pants and put them on top of the pram before covering them with the baby‘s blanket.

The court heard a search of the pram found a pouch at the back with some wallets, greeting cards, pencils, soft toys and Kmart clothing.

The court heard after police made inquiries with stores, they found the other items had also been stolen.

She was sentenced to six months imprisonment, wholly suspended for one year.

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Originally published as Sunshine Coast people guilty of stealing or fraud - list