A man who was 'indefinitely' banned from Coles in 2023 made his return in 2024 by deceiving staff into giving him a refund for items that weren't his.
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Sam Michael Androutos, 40, of Dalton Street Dubbo, pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception and enter inclosed land in Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday, May 1.
Court documents say on Friday, March 31, 2023 Androutos was banned indefinitely from Coles on Macquarie Street.
At 7.41pm on Saturday, March 16, 2024 unknown customers bought two, six pack Optimum dog food, worth $7 each and three large bags of Purina dry dog food, worth $36 each, totalling $122.
Androutos found the receipt belonging to the other customer on the ground and headed to Coles.
Between 8.30pm and 8.39pm Androutos is seen on CCTV in the pet food aisle searching for the items on the receipt and placing them in his trolley.
At 8.41pm Androutos approached the front smoke counter with the items in his trolley.
Androutos gets assistance from a staff member to refund the $122 to his own credit card, using the found receipt.
The staff member recognised Androutos and questioned him about being banned. He said someone told him he was allowed back in the store, as long as he behaved himself.
Despite the staff member's suspicion that the accused was banned, he authorised the refund.
The staff member became aware that the refund was returned to a card not used to make the original purchase, which caused him to become suspicious of the refund he approved for Androutos.
The staff member went and reviewed CCTV footage, and saw the two unknown customers who purchased the items earlier that day and then Androutos approximately 50 minutes later, placing the same items listed on the receipt within his trolley and obtaining a refund for those items.
The staff member contacted police who attended a short time later, obtained a statement, CCTV footage, the video clip of Androutos being advised he was banned and receipts.
About 8.50pm on Sunday, April 14, 2024 police attended Dalton Street.
Androutos was getting out of his car when police arrived and he participated in an interview.
Androutos, who self-represented, told the court he wasn't sure when his ban on Coles had ended, but he would be going to get treatment for his drug addiction.
Magistrate Gary Wilson told the court, Androutos' entire criminal history was for shoplifting.
"They aren't big offences but they do accumulate and you end up in prison, and you don't want to go there," he said.
"Do something positive for yourself, the treatment will be a great start."
Androutos was convicted and fined $100.