Meth addict Anthony Dabs Debelin sentenced to 25 months prison for stealing from supermarket and evading police

A mad dash from the police almost succeeded for a meth addict who stole $303 worth of items from a supermarket. However, his freedom was short-lived.

Anthony Dabs Debelin. Picture: Facebook

A serial offender who stole 12 packets of steak and a box of nappies from a supermarket before losing police in a chase through the streets of Devonport, will spend time behind bars.

Anthony Dabs Debelin, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving and the related summary charges of evading police, driving while disqualified and stealing.

During sentencing earlier this week in the Supreme Court in Burnie, Justice Tamara Jago said that on August 17, 2023, Debelin stole $303 worth of steak and nappies from Woolworths at Port Sorell before driving off.

After the supermarket staff called the police, the court heard officers intercepted him and turned their sirens on at the Middle Rd and Williams St roundabout in Devonport near Reece High School at 3pm.

“You entered the roundabout on the incorrect side of the road and overtook multiple vehicles that were banked up at the William St roundabout,” Justice Jago said.

“You were travelling at approximately 60km/h in a 40km school speed zone.

“As you continued through the roundabout on the incorrect side of the road, two oncoming vehicles were forced to manoeuvre to avoid a collision.”

Burnie Supreme and Magisterial Courts

Justice Jago said police lost sight of Debelin a shortly after and abandoned the pursuit.

“A short time later, CCTV footage from a business on William St captured your vehicle mounting a nature strip outside a busy takeaway business.

“You went up and over the nature strip in order to overtake vehicles that were banked up at the intersection of Steele and William streets.

“Two pedestrians were on the footpath when you did this and it is most fortunate they were not struck by your vehicle and hurt.

“You then proceeded through the roundabout at Steele and William Str without giving way, again narrowly avoiding a collision with multiple cars that had already entered the roundabout.”

The court heard CCTV footage showed that Debelin abandoned the car on Morris Ave.

He was arrested two days later.

Debelin had been previously sentenced to six months imprisonment in March 2023, half of which was suspended.

Justice Jago described him as a serial offender.

“You developed an addiction to methylamphetamine, and your prior convictions are reflective of that addiction,” she said.

“You have committed a large number of crimes essentially in an endeavour to support your drug habit.

“I am told that at the time these crimes were committed, you were using drugs heavily.”

Justice Jago sentenced Debelin to 25 months in jail, backdated to October 1, 2023.

He will be eligible for parole after serving 16 months of his sentence.