Shantel Ann-Maree Lucas pleads guilty to 21 charges in Toowoomba Magistrates Court, steals almost $4k from elderly woman

A Toowoomba mother of three on parole after a deadly stolen car crash has pleaded guilty to a raft of new charges, including stealing a small fortune from a 70-year-old woman.

Just two years after being seriously injured in a deadly stolen car crash, a mother-of-three has fronted court again on more than 20 charges.

Shantel Ann-Maree Lucas pleaded guilty in Toowoomba Magistrates Court to 21 charges, the most serious of which was stealing almost $4000 from a 70-year-old woman outside Grand Central.

Shantel Ann-Maree Lucas has pleaded guilty to 21 charges in Toowoomba Magistrates Court. Picture Supplied

Police prosecutor Bettina Trenear told the court the elderly woman was seen on CCTV withdrawing $3800 from the Suncorp Bank branch.

The cash was at one point sat on the counter in view of others while the teller got an envelope.

The elderly woman then placed the envelope of money into her handbag and walked west along Margaret Street with her brother.

Lucas got out of a vehicle and walked behind the victim before reaching into the unzipped handbag to remove the money and darting into iPlay.

The victim later realised and reported the missing money, saying she recalled feeling a slight tug on her handbag but thought nothing of it.

Lucas was arrested and charged by police in November, 2021, saying she was homeless and hungry and used the money for food and accommodation.

Ms Trenear told the court Lucas was on parole at the time of the theft, relating to a 24-month jail sentence for another matter.

Lucas was bailed on the same day as her arrest, which she later breached by going to Grand Central Shopping Centre.

Toowoomba Courthouse in Hume St

Lucas stole items from Grand Central, Clifford Gardens and Kearney Springs shops between February 1 and March 10, 2022, taking items including jewellery, clothing and bags.

The estimated value was $4600.

Lucas was also busted with other stolen property, including IDs, credit cards, debit cards, jewellery and electronics belonging to up to nine people.

Solicitor Alysha Jacobsen said her client grew up surrounded by marijuana, alcohol and domestic violence, which would later influence her drug habit.

She said the 36-year-old committed offences to fuel her drug addictions, however had left Toowoomba and was now undertaking and enjoying rehabilitation.

Lucas pleaded guilty to nine counts of stealing, two of unlawful use of a vehicle, three of receiving tainted property, possessing property suspected to have been used in relation to a drug offence, failing to take reasonable care with a syringe, driving without a licence, breaching bail, failing to appear, and obstructing police.

She was sentenced to seven months jail, which was wholly suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay $3800 compensation.