A gardener who saw a car drive past his house towing a trailer filled with his possessions, took a photo of the vehicle in an effort to help police catch the thief.
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Hayden Smith, 24, of of Tobruk Crescent, borrowed a red Holden Jackaroo which he drove to an Ophir Road property and then attached a box trailer before stealing $6000 worth of belongings from a shed on March 3.
Smith was jailed for stealing two flat screen TVs, a laptop, a Google mini, Xbox controller, iPad Air, car trailer, a tubeless wheel for a mountain bike, a stick welder, portable welder, drill press, Hi-lift jack, three metre children's swimming pool, a socket set, four men's watches and an LED caravan light bar.
Orange Local Court magistrate David Day said offences like Smith's caused concern for people who lived in country areas about the security of their property.
Mr Day said a number of rural sheds had been broken into since he had been based at Orange, and once offenders broke into sheds they could find tools to break into houses on country properties.
"People out of town tend not to lock their houses, which should not be encouragement for people like Mr Smith," Mr Day said.
People out of town tend not to lock their houses, which should not be encouragement for people like Mr Smith.
- Magistrate David Day
Solicitor Lucien Gration said the property was later returned.
"That particular offence occurred due to the peer group he was involved with at the time. He tells me he isn't going to be associating with those people any more," Mr Gration said.
Smith had been in custody since May 5 and appeared in court via a video link. He was given a 12-month jail term with a six month non-parole period, taking into account his age and need for drug rehabilitation.
"His friends were part of a drug culture, so was he," Mr Day said.
Smith could be eligible for parole on February 2, and upon his release from custody he would have to comply with two 12-month Community Correction Orders that require rehabilitation and treatment.
Smith was given the Community Correction Orders, which are like good behaviour bonds, for using a stolen bank card at a 7/Eleven on January 28 to buy two packs of cigarettes. The card was stolen from a hiker's car near Federal Falls less than an hour earlier.
Smith was also given a two-year Intensive Correction Order, which is a community based custodial sentence, and an 18-month ICO for ripping a woman's dress and threatening to burn down a house.
He was also resentenced and was given a new 12-month CCO for breaching a previous CCO by failing to complete 50 hours of community service.
For breaching a suspended jail sentence Smith was given a seven-month jail term, with three months without parole back-dated to May 5.
Smith was given the the suspended sentence, which is no longer used in NSW, for driving while disqualified. However, he breached the order with fresh offending.
"Mr Smith exhibits a capacity to be violent, intimidating and and does not respect other people's property," Mr Day said.
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