A serial thief from Albion Park who was jailed over a string of petty break-ins at homes and businesses, many of which were in his home town, has withdrawn a severity appeal in the NSW District Court.
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Craig Bell was sentenced to 18 months prison, with a six-month non-parole period, in Wollongong Local Court last month after confessing to carrying out six break and enters between August 2015 and February 2017, described by the magistrate as a “crime spree”.
Bell lodged a severity appeal shortly after the verdict, believing the sentence imposed on him was too harsh.
However, he withdrew the appeal in Wollongong District Court last Friday, saying he accepted the ruling.
Court documents reveal Bell’s first target in 2015 was the Shellharbour City Sharks rugby league club, located at Ron Costello Oval in Shellharbour Village.
Bell gained entry to the clubhouse under the cover of darkness on the last Sunday in August and stole a TV, a signed State of Origin jersey, cans of alcohol, wine, confectionary and club clothing.
His DNA was found on a half-drunk bottle of Powerade left at the scene.
In February 2016, Bell’s fingerprints were found at the scene of car break-ins at Warilla and Albion Park, where a wallet and a $1 coin were stolen respectively.
Meantime, in October the same year, Bell broke into two neighbouring businesses in Bermagui, swiping plastic bags from one store after discovering the cash register was empty, and picking up silver coins and three boxes of ice cream from the other premises.
In February 2017, Bell and an unknown accomplice broke into the Wilsons Holden car yard in Albion Park Rail about 4am and removed 12 car tyres from various vehicles within the showroom, placing each of them against the northern wall.
However, the pair was disturbed mid-theft by a security guard, who later told police he saw two men running from inside the showroom to a waiting vehicle when he pulled up to carry out a routine inspection.
Forensic police later discovered Bell’s DNA on an open can of Coca Cola sitting about a metre away from one of the tyreless vehicles.
Bell was arrested on June 13 last year and charged with a string of break and enter and larceny offences.
With time served, he will be released on parole in September this year.
