Drug user stole to fuel habit

A THIEF stole items from businesses to fund his drug habit.

Shawn Stephen Taylor appeared in Southport Magistrates Court yesterday via video link charged with dozens of offences committed between March 2018 and October 2019.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair said Taylor caused the loss of thousands of dollars worth of stock.

“The people who have lost in this case are those companies who lost the opportunity to sell the goods that you’ve stolen for the actual retail value,” he said.

“You continued to offend blatantly, persistently until you were put in prison.

“The only thing that stopped you from fuelling your drug addiction was placing you into custody.”

Taylor was charged with a string of offences including stealing, trespass, enter premise and commit indictable offence.

Some of the offences were committed while Taylor was on parole.

Mr Sinclair said on October 12, 2019, Taylor and another person walked into the Elanora Woolworths and filled a trolley full of items. He had just $10 in his pocket.

“You told police that you had no intention of paying for goods, you were simply going to leave the store,” Mr Sinclair said.

“This was not the case for someone stealing for food, or for any other normal purpose. Like most of the items you stole, you deliberately targeted high-value items with no use to yourself, but every use to sell to other people to fund your drug habit.”

Mr Sinclair said there was up to $800 worth of items in the trolley

Taylor was sentenced to 19 months prison and will be eligible for parole on April 29.