Toowoomba man Shannon Buckley charged with theft and dishonesty offences
In a tactical raid of a Toowoomba man’s home, police uncovered a child’s stolen bike, which had been painted red, and a suspect with literal red hands.
A Toowoomba man was caught literally red-handed in possession of a child’s e-bike one week after it was stolen from the schoolyard.
Shannon Mark Buckley, 37, appeared before Toowoomba Magistrates Court on Monday pleading guilty to stealing and receiving tainted property after police found a child’s stolen e-bike in his possession.
The court was told a 16-year-old Toowoomba private school boy rode his black Dyson e-bike to a school drama rehearsal in late July 2024 where he left it parked outside a nearby classroom.
When he returned a short time later, the bike, which was valued at $2249, was missing.
Around one week later on August 4, a police tactical crime squad executing an unrelated warrant at Buckley’s address found a similar e-bike, recently painted red.
“The paint was still tacky to the touch, it seemed the defendant had red paint on his hands,” police prosecutor Nick Pratt said.
Buckley told police he had bought the bike on Gumtree a few months earlier for $500.
“The defendant also advised he could prove it was his as he registered it … he couldn’t recall when, and there was no date on the (e-bike) app … he later advised he had done it on July 23, two days after it had been taken,” Mr Pratt said.
The teenage victim immediately identified the bike as his when shown it at the police station, quickly unlocking the battery with his key as proof.
Following this discovery, police again questioned Buckley who held firm.
“He said met this (seller) in Toowoomba and he didn’t get a charging cord when he bought it,” Mr Pratt said.
“He also advised, for some reason, he couldn’t access any information from Gumtree including messages he had sent to the man he bought it from.”
Buckley was additionally charged with stealing after CCTV footage showed him run out of Rebel Sport Toowoomba with a pair of sneakers worth $230.
He was later photographed wearing the distinctive sneakers at a shopping centre after police intercepted him in relation to other matters.
Buckley initially denied stealing the shoes to police but could offer no explanation for the photograph.
The 37-year-old was on probation and community service orders at the time of the offences and had multiple recorded stealing convictions.
Duty lawyer Alysha Jacobsen claimed Buckley had been struggling mentally at the time of the offending.
“His friend passed away in a motorcycle accident last year which caused him significant grief and having to deal with that was quite difficult for him,” Ms Jacobsen said.
She also advised Buckley lived with a brain injury caused by a previous assault and had been living rough in a tent since August 2024.
Magistrate Michelle Dooley ordered Buckley serve six months’ probation and pay $230 in restitution to Rebel Sport.
Convictions were recorded.
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Originally published as Toowoomba man Shannon Buckley charged with theft and dishonesty offences
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