A magistrate has warned a burglar he faces jail time if he fails to meet the requirements of his community corrections order.
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Jamie Cravino, 31, pleaded guilty in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court this week to three charges arising from thefts and a burglary committed last year, as well as breaching a community corrections order.
The court was told Cravino stole a bottle of cologne and a packet of razors from a Kangaroo Flat chemist in May last year by concealing the items in his clothing.
When interviewed by police, Cravino denied stealing the items, but said the male captured on CCTV looked like him.
More court news:
Then in September, Cravino was involved in a burglary at a tool store in Golden Square.
Between 12am and 7am, he climbed a fence into the premises, cut a hole in Colorbond sheeting to the building and stole tool kits and batteries.
Fingerprints found at the scene were matched to Cravino.
The following month, police searched his home and found empty boxes matching the description of the stolen items.
Cravino told police two males had driven him there to commit the burglary to cover a drug debt, but refused to name the men.
Defence lawyer Luke Docherty told the court his client was trying to address the three main factors behind his offending - companions, drug use, and employment/education prospects - and had attended an interview with police, rather than fled.
Mr Docherty asked the magistrate to consider deferring sentence until the completion of Cravino's community corrections order for other offending, which was due to end in two and a half months.
Cravino had entered early guilty pleas, he said, and had no prior burglary convictions.
But police prosecutor Senior Constable Dave Rennie said Cravino had been given enough chances, noting the offending was committed while Cravino was undertaking a community corrections order.
He said an immediate term of imprisonment was suitable.
Magistrate Sarah Leighfield decided to adjourn sentencing until May 17 and extended Cravino's community corrections order by four months to complete a counselling schedule.
But Ms Leighfield warned Cravino he faced jail time if he missed any appointments and stressed his community corrections order had to be his first priority.
She also placed Cravino on judicial monitoring.
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