A Warilla man has admitted to damaging 25 vehicles with a hockey stick for "fun" during a smashing spree throughout the Illawarra.
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Kaileb Lamelza pleaded guilty in the Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday to more than 20 charges of destroy or damage property.
Magistrate Claire Girotto ordered a sentencing assessment report be undertaken before deciding the 18-year-old's fate, saying she needed to understand "what's going on" with him.
An agreed set of facts tendered to court said that on July 16 last year, Lake Illawarra police started receiving an unusually high number of reports of damage to cars parked on residential streets in different suburbs.
Lamelza damaged 11 vehicles in Oak Flats and Port Kembla that day, then on July 24, smashed up another eight vehicles in Kiama and Jamberoo.
Two days later, he targeted a vehicle in Barrack Heights, while on July 29, he damaged a further five vehicles, this time in Mount Warrigal.
About 1.30am on July 29, police officers in Barrack Heights saw a Mitsubishi Lancer that had been spotted in CCTV footage obtained from Kiama Council.
Some 30 minutes later, police received multiple calls about the damaged vehicles in Mount Warrigal.
Police later stopped the Mitsubishi and found Lamelza in the rear seat, with a wooden hockey stick next to him and broken glass in the footwell.
He was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station, where he admitted to damaging vehicles.
Lamelza told police he leant out of the moving Mitsubishi and smashed the parked vehicles with the hockey stick.
The damage included broken rear windows, side mirrors and windscreens, as well as scratched panels, but no property was stolen.
The agreed facts said Lamelza appeared disinterested and "showed no remorse or emotion" for his actions.
"He said he did it because it was a fun thing to do," the document said.
.Lamelza will return to court in March for sentencing proceedings.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
