A serial thief has not been deterred by his ban from entering Illawarra supermarkets after he confessed to leaving Coles with six ice creams down his pants.
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Dylan James Jones, aged 28 of Unanderra, pleaded guilty to entering an enclosed land without lawful excuse and two counts of shoplifting at Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday.
Court documents reveal Jones stole from Unanderra Coles in July last year while serving a community-based prison sentence for stealing.
Known to police and supermarket managers, Jones was seen putting an energy drink and pack of six Snickers ice creams down his pants before walking out of the Unanderra supermarket on January 5 this year.
The next day, he stuffed his jumper with several drinks, chocolates and a pie at Coles Wollongong before walking through the self-serve checkout without paying.
Police arrested Jones after reviewing CCTV from both stores.
In court, Jones pleaded with Magistrate Chris McRobert to release him on a community-based sentence again.
Unmoved, Magistrate McRobert said full-time custody was inevitable given Jones' criminal history, adding the behaviour of thieves has become bolder.
"In my time on the bench, shoplifting is something someone would try to conceal," he said.
"The difference I'm seeing now is that people walk into a store, take want they want and walk back out.
"They are now completely brazen about it."
Jones will learn his fate at a later date.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
