Hollie Rizzotto, 33, pleads guilty in Toowoomba to multiple weapons and theft charges

A woman who brought stolen goods across the border only to steal from a Queensland home was shocked by what police found in her possession.

Picture: File

A woman who drove stolen goods across state lines was shocked to discover the full contents of her spoils when read out in court.

Wollongong resident Hollie Rizzotto, 33, pleaded guilty to a raft of serious offences including enter dwelling to commit and bringing stolen goods into Queensland after she and an alleged male accomplice drove a stolen hire car across state lines.

Police prosecutor Anita Page said the pair hired the car in Sydney then drove to Toowoomba on September 25 with a collection of stolen property in tow.

“That included multiple bags of unidentified property, tools, cameras and accessories,” Ms Page said.

The prosecution claimed the pair then broke into a Millmerran home and drove away in a black BMW belonging to the resident.

“They have stolen a number of items including jewellery, a gun safe containing two firearms, a safe containing shotgun ammunition, a laptop bag and a briefcase and vehicle keys,” Ms Page said.

“This gun safe contained two firearms: a 12-gauge shotgun and 0.22 calibre pump action rifle; neither the defendant nor associate hold a weapons licence.”

Ms Page told the court Ms Rizzotto had recently been sentenced for similar offending in New South Wales and was currently on a three-year order of supervision in the southern state.

All items stolen from the home, including both weapons, were recovered by police in the defendant’s possession.

Upon hearing the contents of the safe, Ms Rizzotto appeared shocked, pulling faces over the video link.

“That property was recovered still in the safe so whilst there was probably an expectation there was going to be weapons and ammunition in the safe … she didn’t have exact knowledge or intelligence of what would be exactly in that safe,” duty solicitor Chelsea Saldumbide said.

Ms Saldumbide said her client had suffered severe emotional and physical trauma which led to her offending.

“One can’t shy away from the seriousness in terms of the criminality of the offending,” she said.

“It’s that trauma that seems to be the catalyst for her resorting back to drug use and bringing her before the criminal justice system.

“She is very disappointed in herself that she placed her liberty in jeopardy.”

Acting Magistrate Mark Whitbread said Ms Rizzotto’s previous interactions with the judicial system would need to be considered.

“You’ve been before the court on at least five occasions, more than that but at least five occasions in respect to some very serious offences,” he said

“There is no other reasonable alternative to impose but imprisonment.”

Ms Rizzotto was formally charged with one count each of authority required to possess explosives, bringing stolen goods into Queensland, enter dwelling and commit and unlawful possession of category A weapons and two counts each of unlawful use of motor vehicle and possessing dangerous drugs.

She was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for two years after three months with two days declared as time served.