Aaron McLachlan, 29, of Ripley Lane, faced court charged with stealing property from a house and two counts of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception, which occurred on August 19-20.

McLachlan had been working casually as an assistant to a housecleaner and according to police, was working in a Canobolas home on August 19 when he spotted the debit card and took it. 

Between 10.50am and 7.11pm that day, he made 18 purchases using the PayPass function, reaching a total of $665.48.

The police statement said the items ranged from mobile phone credit to groceries, fuel, men’s clothing, synthetic cannabis, cigarettes, P plates and alcohol. 

The victim discovered his card was stolen and cancelled it, prompting McLachlan to dump it in a bin on Sale Street after a failed purchase.

Then on August 20, McLachlan tried to sell a bottle of bourbon he had bought using the stolen card for $30, leading to the third charge.

Police said McLachlan eluded police for several weeks before he was finally arrested on October 5, admitting he stole the card and telling officers he did not know why he did it and he had not stolen anything before.

Magistrate Terry Lucas fined him $800 for each of the three charges.

A 36-YEAR-old man has been fined $1800 in Orange Local Court for two counts of assault.

Adam Lindsay Roy Parkes of Attunga Place, failed to appear in court and was sentenced in his absence.

According to police, the first incident occurred at about 9.30am on August 8 when Parkes went to a house with a friend and started arguing with the female occupant, palming her on the right side of her face.

Police said the second incident occurred on August 11 at about 2.30pm when Parkes demanded money from the woman for tyres, which she told him she had not wanted, and he punched her on the right side of her head.

Parkes told police he would come to the police station but did not attend.

Police requested an arrest warrant to have the matters dealt with, but magistrate Terry Lucas instead decided to fine him.

BRADLEY Richard Paul Adams has been fined $300 in Orange Local Court after he was caught travelling at 83km/h in a 60km/h zone on the Escort Way on August 26.

The 33-year-old Thelma Way resident has been suspended on several occasions for demerit point offences.