Baker helps to commit an inside job on his employer in Bendigo, $13,200 in cash and goods stolen

The 28-year-old lent his store keys to two people who carried out a burglary on the bakery before returning the keys to the man on the same night.

The man pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court earlier this week to multiple charges, including the theft of a coworker’s mobile phone before the burglary. 

The court heard the two co-accused received the keys to the bakery at 11.45pm on March 18 last year.

The two men then committed a burglary on the store, stealing $13,200 in cash and other items, before returning the keys to the man at his residence.

He started his shift at 2am when he “discovered” the burglary.

Police arrested one of the offenders the following day, and the other five days later. They both gave “no comment” interviews.

It wasn’t until four months later when the bakery employee’s role in the burglary was uncovered by police. A witness told police “they’re stupid, they went straight back to (his house) to give him the keys back so he could go to work”.

He was arrested on July 22 last year, and denied his involvement.

He claimed he was asleep from 5.30pm to 2.30am on the night of the burglary, but phone records showed he received a call from one co-accused just 10 minutes before they committed the crime.

In the hours after, he called one of the burglars once and sent them three texts.

They were also in regular contact before and after the crime, the court was told.

Defence counsel Matthew Mahady said his client was desperate to avoid a conviction, as it would impact his future job prospects.

“It’s a circumstantial case, but he accepts there’s some issues with his phone and communications leading up to the burglary,” he said.

The man was placed on a nine-month community corrections order with 175 hours of unpaid community work.