Mum’s stint as fake cop
A self-described stay-at-home mum, who was consuming up to 7g of ice a day, has been described as the “controller” in a bizarre home invasion in which a group posed as police conducting a raid.
Abynei Lacey, 26, pleaded guilty in the Geelong County Court on Thursday to one charge of home invasion and two charges of theft, along with two summary offences of impersonating police.
The court heard on March 20, 2023, about 8.20am a family of four on Orbit Drive, Whittington, woke to banging on the front door with Lacey, holding a clipboard, shouting, “Police” and they had a warrant.
The thieves stole phones, ID cards, $8000-$9000 cash from a safe, eight pairs of Nike shoes, a jewellery box, car keys and cannabis plants.
Prosecutor Richard Pirrie told the court one witness said Lacey was “like the controller with the (others) as lackeys”.
The group also stole two cars.
Fifteen minutes before the home invasion, a black Mazda – stolen 17 days earlier – pulled up alongside two brothers on Solar Drive, Whittington.
Lacey told the victims it was police and to put their hands on a fence.
She searched the men, and the group seized a bank card. Lacey was arrested at home in Corio, where police found a fake police ID, handcuffs, some of the Nike shoes and phones. Lawyer Heather Anderson said the offending took place in the “context” of a significant drug habit and Lacey “had not slept” for close to two weeks before the offending. Ms Anderson said at the time, Lacey was consuming 5-7g of ice and 50-100mL of GHB a day, and “a small amount of cannabis”.
Lacey is in custody and will be sentenced on July 12.