Big Bird Bandits sorry for ‘immature’ prank
THE Big Bird Bandits who stole a $137,000 costume from a Sesame Street circus have avoided conviction for their “impulsive act”.
Magistrate Briony Kennewell on Monday labelled the trio’s actions a “foolish and immature prank”, but said none of them had any idea of the costume’s value.
Tasman Binder, 23, of Murray Bridge, Cody Alain Milne, 26, of Norwood, and Amelia Margaret Hurt, 21, of Woodville Park, were fined $500 each for their roles in the crime. They each pleaded guilty in February to one aggravated offence of dishonestly dealing with property without consent after they stole the costume from Bonython Park, Thebarton, in April last year. The Adelaide Magistrates Court heard that he trio was driving home past the circus and pulled over.
The men got out the car, made their way inside the circus tent and saw the costume hanging up on a coat hanger, thinking it would be “funny” to take it with them.
Hurt only got involved when she saw her friends with the costume and picked up the legs to help them put Big Bird in the boot of the car, the court was told. The costume was later returned to the circus in an “OK” condition, but it had to be washed and dried, which took three employees about eight hours.
The prosecutor told the court last month that the circus director had stated the offending harmed his business and risked Sesame Street cancelling their contract.
Milne and Binder also pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to comply with their bail agreement, after they stayed at the Crown and Anchor Hotel in Adelaide past their curfew and saw each other in breach of their conditions. The court heard Milne hopes to work in childcare, while Hurt has aspirations to become a paramedic. Ms Kennewell said the trio’s theft was a “foolish and immature prank”, but they now realised the conduct was not a joke.
Ms Kennewell said that Milne was the oldest member of the group and should have known better. She placed him on a two-year good-behaviour bond and ordered him to complete 105 hours of community service within 12 months.
Binder and Hurt received the same good-behaviour bond, but Binder only needs to complete 75 hours of community service and Hurt wasn’t required to do any.