THE people responsible for stealing a homemade minion sculpture from a North Bendigo home filmed the theft on their phones, helping police to press charges.
Mark Peter Llewellyn, 34, of Muckleford, pleaded guilty to the theft in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and was fined $750, with $117 in costs, and sentenced to 14 days prison.
The court heard Llewellyn and co-accused Ebony Crump, 26, of Bendigo, pulled over alongside the Prouses Road house and carried the sculpture to a trailer at 6.15pm on February 22.
Prosecutor Sergeant David Somerton said police discovered the sculpture during a raid on Crump’s property, among a host of other stolen items.
A phone seized during the raid contained a video showing Llewellyn stealing the sculpture.
He also pleaded guilty to charges relating to thefts from motor vehicles just a few days before he stole the sculpture.
The court heard police noticed Llewellyn walking on Bayne Street, Bendigo, at 11.50pm on February 18, and attempted to talk to him.
Llewellyn then sprinted away into Smith Street and hid in the backyard of a house, before he was eventually found in possession of several small car accessories.
He was sentenced to seven days prison for the thefts.
Llewellyn pleaded to guilty driving while disqualified after he fled the scene of a crash on Wicks Road, Maiden Gully, on February 20.
Sergeant Somerton said Llewellyn was driving a ute towing a trailer when he drifted onto the wrong side of the road, before failing to correct, driving into a tree.
He walked northeast to the Calder Highway where he was picked up.
Llewellyn had been disqualified from driving for four years.
His licence was further suspended and he was sentenced to six months prison for the charge. He has already served five months.
He appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court via video-link on Tuesday – the first time he had appeared on the long list of charges.
Magistrate Patrick Southey said it was pleasing to be able to see Llewellyn.
“It’s nice to finally meet you,” he said.
Llewellyn is contesting charges relating to an incident in his Muckleford home, in which he allegedly shot a hole in a wall with a shotgun and threw a television through a window.
He will appear in the Castlemaine Magistrates’ Court on November 29.
Originally published as Thieves record minion theft on video by Bendigo Advertiser.
