Douglas Eric Collins targeted pubs, school and businesses in burglary spree

This 27-year-old had a history of burglary, with a particular penchant for breaking into pubs and stealing cash. His most recent $20,000 heist has now landed him behind bars.

A serial burglar with a penchant for hotel break-ins has been jailed for two and a half years after his most recent offences including the theft of $20,000 from a Toowoomba pub.

Douglas Eric Collins was arrested by police Sunday morning after he had just broken into a Harristown motel from which he’d stolen a number of items.

He appeared in Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Tuesday by video link from the watch house to plead guilty to a total 43 charges including a number of burglaries, trespassing, public nuisance, obstructing police and drug offences.

The most serious of those offences was the break-in of the Shamrock Hotel in Toowoomba’s CBD about 10.40pm, April 14, when he gained access to the pub’s cash room and stole about $20,000 cash, the pub’s takings, the court heard.

He had also broken into Our Lady of Lourdes school in Newtown on May 30 and stole a number of items including three laptops belonging to teachers.

One of the laptops contained eight years work of one teacher which was now lost, the court heard.

Collins also pleaded guilty to the break-in of another Toowoomba hotel late on July 1 and stealing $3157.30 in cash.

The court heard Collins had an extensive history of similar offending.

Magistrate Clare Kelly sentenced Collins to two and a half years in jail but ordered he be released on parole as of March 1, 2023.

Because he was sentenced to an actual term of imprisonment, no restitution was ordered.