A man who broke into the North Wollongong Bather's Pavilion twice to steal cleaning products has told a court he did so to combat a cockroach infestation that took over his unit.
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Garth Martin Murray, 45, said he found a set of keys to the storage room and as a regular at the beach, it was his intent to return them to lifeguards the next day.
"But the cockroach problem at my house became too much so I kept the keys," he said. "We tried sprays, we tried bombs ... we have tried everything."
CCTV cameras captured Murray arriving at the pavilion on his bicycle with an unknown woman shortly before 1am on December 15, 2023, before he used the keys to get inside.
He left almost an hour later with three plastic bags full of cleaning products. Murray returned alone two days later, leaving with more items stuffed in a backpack.
Lifeguards noticed two bags of gloves, three bottles of cleaning liquid, a tub of graffiti wipes, a bag of garbage bags, and several toilet rolls were missing when they arrived on shift the next morning.
Murray explained his crimes were the result of him taking matters into his own hands about the apparent roach problem at the Department of Housing complex he lived at.
"I took the cleaning products because we had been complaining about the cockroach problem for months," he said.
"We were contacting them weekly about this problem."
Murray said he managed to get rid some of the roaches, but returned to steal more cleaning products after his first attempt to eliminate them completely failed. He said no one at the complex could afford to buy more products.
"I got rid of 95 per cent of them but they have already returned," he said.
"I am very sorry for committing such a serious offence."
Murray asked to be released so he could properly treat his mental illnesses, including bipolar and schizophrenia.
He pleaded guilty to aggravated break and entering a dwelling in company to steal, entering enclosed land without a lawful excuse, break, enter and steal, and having suspected stolen goods in his custody.
Magistrate Gabriel Fleming told Murray he's not "Robin Hood" and that the items belonged to Wollongong City Council for the purpose of keeping property used by the public clean.
He was jailed for 14 months, with a non-parole period of four months. With time already served, he will be released in June.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
