‘This start has been pretty terrible’: Tassie sea-changer Chantelle Tierre Robertson caught shoplifting

A Tasmanian woman who moved north for a ‘new start’ has quickly found herself in trouble with police after stealing a $400 pair of sunglasses. Here’s how she did it.

Chantelle Tierre Robertson leaves court after being sentenced for stealing

A Tasmanian woman who moved north for a ‘new start’ has quickly ended up repeating her old problems after CCTV cameras caught her smuggling a $400 pair of sunglasses in her bra.

Chantelle Tierre Robertson was charged with stealing after she lifted a luxury brand of sunglasses from Sunglass Hut CastleTown on November 22, 2023.

Police prosecutor Kimberley Rogers-Ford said at around 2.25pm on that day, Robertson and a man entered the store and browsed products for several minutes.

“The male person distracts the employee, he was asking about other products in the area. The employee loses sight of the defendant and (she) takes a pair of sunglasses from the luxury collection and conceals them in her bra before replacing the empty slot in the wall with very low value sunglasses,” Ms Rogers-Ford said.

“Both parties exit the store. CCTV footage captured the offence.”

Chantelle Tierre Robertson leaves court after being sentenced for stealing

When police caught up to Robertson, she told officers she was no longer in possession of the sunglasses.

The court heard Robertson’s criminal history included stealing in Queensland and a “lengthy” history in Tasmania that also included stealing.

Ms Rogers-Ford said the Sunglass Hut theft was premeditated and deceptive and pushed for a sentence higher than a simple fine.

Sunglass Hut have two stores in Townsville - one in CastleTown, the other in Townsville Shopping Centre (formally Stocklands) Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“It’s clear that Ms Robertson isn’t addressing her offending,” Mr Rogers-Ford said.

“Previous orders haven’t deterred her, on that basis my submission is a community service order.”

Robertson represented herself in Townsville Magistrates Court on Thursday, February 29 and pleaded guilty to stealing.

“I did move up here for a new start, but this start has been pretty terrible,” Robertson said.

“I’m just up here with my daughter and I know I am showing a bad example. Whatever punishment you give me I’ll make sure I take more care in the way I conduct myself and the way I am in the shops... I didn’t keep those sunglasses, I did sell them.”

Magistrate Richard Lehmann sentenced Robertson to 48 hours of unpaid community service

Originally published as ‘This start has been pretty terrible’: Tassie sea-changer Chantelle Tierre Robertson caught shoplifting