A man who was involved in stealing almost $3000 worth of tools from the back of a tradie's vehicle has faced court.
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John Alfred Williams of Glenroi was one of two men who were captured on CCTV stealing tools from the back of a ute in the Hotel Canobolas car park on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
According to court documents the victim parked his vehicle in the hotel car park about 4am on January 17, 2024, but left numerous items in the tray, including an unlocked tool box, and he left the cab unlocked.
At 4.13am, 42-year-old Williams and his co-accused, Graeme John Hinchcliff, also of Glenroi, were captured on CCTV within the hotel.
They were then captured on the car park CCTV going rummaging through the tray of the vehicle at 4.21am.
They walked away from the vehicle and out of camera view shortly afterwards but returned at 4.33am and resumed rummaging through the vehicle.
They took numerous items including a NST tester, for testing electricity connections, valued at $845, a Fluk 1507 Insulation resistance tester valued at $1400 and other items. The total value of the stolen items was $2841.40
Later that morning the victim discovered the items had been stolen and reported the matter to police.
Williams and Hinchcliffe also attended a clinic in Kite Street at 10.03am that day where they were again captured on CCTV with Williams wearing the exact same clothing as he had been during the theft.
General duties police located the two men at the Royal Hotel, Orange on January 19, 2024.
They were spoken to separately and neither made any admissions.
However, police carried out a search warrant at Hinchcliffe's address on February 1, 2024.
At 9.53am on February 1, 2024, police executed the search warrant and several items were located including clothing he was believed to have worn at the time of the offence.
Within a shed of the property was a black "carbac" brand bag with NST and the victim's name, phone number written on the front of the bag. Police also seized a blue NST tester from the entryway.
Both men were charged after the search warrant was conducted.
Williams co-accused Graeme John Hinchcliff of Glenroi was sentenced to an 18-month intensive correction order on Wednesday, April 3.
Williams himself appeared in Orange Local Court to be sentenced on Thursday, April 21.
Magistrate David Day said the victim was a tradesman.
"This is how he makes his living," he said of the stolen tools, most of which were sold.
"Only a few have been recovered which means they've all been fenced."
Mr Day added that both offenders used the money from the sale of the stolen items to buy drugs.
He added that the sentence must relative to the one given to Hinchcliffe describing it as a parity issue.
However, police prosecutor Chris Brien said Hinchcliffe had a significantly longer criminal record.
Solicitor Andrew McDonald also acknowledged the theft was made more serious because the victim needed the tools for work.
Mr Day said both offenders had similar problems but given Hinchcliffe had the worse record Williams should receive a shorter sentence.
He also decided the sentence should be served in the community to encourage Williams' rehabilitation.
"If I send him to jail for with a nine-month non-parole period he might go cold turkey for a while and he might find a few mates in jail who will supply him with small quantities of what he wants and he will come out as bad as he went in," Mr Day said.
Mr Day sentenced Williams to a 12-month intensive correction order.
The community-based jail sentence will require rehabilitation and treatment and that Williams abstain from drugs unless prescribed by a medical practitioner.
"He can start sorting himself out," Mr Day said.
Mr Day also warned Williams that he needs to sort out his drug issues or he will end up in his coroner's file.
