A tradie accused of stealing firearms and thousands in cash during an early morning Port Kembla break-in may have been given away by the shoe print left by Nike TNs.
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A shoe print left at the scene of the Hixon Street home was the same as the TN shoes left in Darren Hall's garden bed upon his arrest, according to police.
"It's a strong circumstantial case," the magistrate said.
Hall sought bail at Wollongong Local Court on Friday, April 12, after pleading not guilty to aggravated break and enter commit a serious indictable offence while people are there and possessing an unauthorised firearm.
The 35-year-old Koonawarra man is accused of driving his stepfather's silver Ford Ranger in the early hours of April 6 to a Hixon Street home, picking up an alleged co-accused along the way.
CCTV cameras from a nearby home allegedly captured the ute parking 50 metres from the crime scene, with the pair seen in footage walking towards it.
Police will allege Hall and his co-accused, who is still at large, entered the home from the backyard, before jemmying open the window to a garage.
It's alleged they climbed in and used various screw drivers and jemmy tools to force open a firearms safe mounted on the wall, with ten thousand in cash, three rifles and a shotgun stolen from it.
An hour later, CCTV allegedly captured the men leaving the property via the front path before the Ford Ranger drove away at speed.
That morning, the victim discovered his guns and money were missing and contacted police.
Officers used phone records and CCTV footage which allegedly accurately coincided with Hall's movements.
Hall was detained in his front yard on April 10 while his home was searched.
The Ford Ranger, parked out the front, was also raided, with a lens cover for a .22 rifle located inside.
Hall allegedly told police the lens was from his own rifle which he said was stolen.
Hall's defence lawyer argued he was at home at the time of the allegations, and that Nike TNs are "quite common shoes".
"But these were the right size," Magistrate Claire Girotto said.
"The case may not turn out to be strong, but on these facts, it is," the magistrate added before refusing Hall's release.
The matter will return to court on June 5.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
