The excitement at purchasing your first quality vacuum cleaner is widely recognised as a clear sign you've reached the life stage of "responsible adult" .
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But does the same theory apply if you steal one?
It's a question Felicia Connors may have been left to ponder earlier this year after she broke into a Wollongong home and made off with the occupants' prized Dyson vacuum.
Connors' unusual loot was revealed in Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday after she pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated break, enter and steal.
Court documents said the door to the apartment was closed but unlocked on the morning of March 30 when one of the flatmates heard a noise in the unit and went to investigate.
He said he looked out of his bedroom to see Connors leaving via the front door, carrying the Dyson, a bottle of wine and a blue handbag.
Incensed by the brazen theft, the man chased after Connors as she ran down the road, screaming over her shoulder "I haven't done anything wrong!"
Connors ran into a nearby unit block and dumped the items on the stairs.
The man retrieved the goods and rang his flatmate to tell her what had happened.
However, the woman revealed her $2,500 Apple Macbook laptop was also missing from the unit.
The man took off again to find Connors, discovering her about 50 metres down the road.
He grabbed hold of her, saying "I'm making a citizen's arrest, I'll wait until the police get here".
Connors begged the pair not to contact police.
Meanwhile, a neighbour told the flatmates she saw Connor dumping the blue bag in nearby bushes moments before they arrived.
The female victim checked the foliage and discovered the bag, which contained her laptop, a pair of Gucci sunglasses, a black sunglasses case, a laptop charger and other cables, a white Airpods case and coins.
It also contained an empty bottle of Dare chocolate milk, which was subsequently seized by police and forensically tested. Connors' DNA was located on the bottle.
Connors was arrested the following day, at which time police discovered her in possession of a black mesh purse that contained identification and credit cards in another person's name.
She was taken to Wollongong Police Station and charged but has since been released from custody on bail.
In court on Wednesday, Magistrate Claire Girotto ordered a background report be prepared ahead of Connors' sentencing, which is expected to take place in Wollongong District Court early next year.
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