A pair of thieving brothers who broke into a Wollongong holiday cabin and stripped it bare last September have confessed to their crime in court.
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James Bartlett, 29, and his younger sibling Callum, 23, pleaded guilty to aggravated break and enter in company charges in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday.
Court documents detailing the heist reveal Callum had previously been at guest at the Wollongong Surf Leisure Resort, however neither he nor his brother were registered to stay at the park on the night of September 18 when the theft occurred.
The pair later told police they’d been at the site visiting friends when they broke into cabin 90 under the cover of darkness.
Once inside, they removed practically everything that wasn’t nailed down – as well as a few items that were.
An inventory of the stolen goods included a smoke alarm, cook top, range hood, television, microwave, gas heater, clock radio, soap dispenser, the entire contents of the bed linen and a gas heater.
The pair also unscrewed doors from some of the cabin’s cupboards and made off with them, however decided against taking kitchen shelf, which they subsequently left sitting on the now-bare bed.
But it was what else the brothers left behind that would ultimately seal their fate – it didn’t take forensic police long to find the fresh fingerprints, ripe for the copying.
Court documents said officers found Callum’s fingerprints on the underside of the kitchen shelving where the oven had once been, as well as on the counter top.
James’ palm prints were discovered on the mattress and a nearby shelf.
Callum was arrested at Campbelltown Local Court on October 10 and remanded in custody.
Police searched the house he shared with his brother and father the following day, unearthing a kettle which was still in possession of a “Welcome to Surf Leisure Resort” tag.
James was arrested on October 13 and released on bail.
Both men will appear in Wollongong District Court on February 3 for a sentencing date to be confirmed.