A SERIAL shoplifter was caught driving more than 50km/h over the speed limit after evading police, a court has been told.
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Steffany Joy Campbell, 28, appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court on Monday where she pleaded guilty to charges including theft.
The court heard on the evening of March 7 last year, police observed Campbell driving a black Holden Astra sedan along the Midland Highway.
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Police said she was travelling at 148km/h in a 100km/h zone.
Officers turned on their lights and sirens to stop Campbell but she accelerated.
Police estimated she was travelling at an estimated 167km/h so they pulled out of the chase.
Officers went to Campbell's address on March 10 but she refused to speak to police, instead pretending to be a different woman.
They again attended her home a few days later and she admitted to owning the car but said she wasn't driving on the night of March 7.
Campbell was arrested for unrelated matters on March 30. She again made no admissions about the driving but agreed the speed was dangerous.
The court heard on the morning of July 13 last year, Maryborough police found Campbell and another person sleeping in a van.
Checks showed the vehicle was unregistered, so the officers woke up Campbell and her associate.
Police saw an ice pipe and a gel blaster handgun in the car. Campbell told officers the imitation firearm belonged to her children.
Campbell is prohibited from owning any firearms.
The court heard on February 11 this year, officers saw Campbell driving along Arthur Street in Bendigo. Checks showed the car's registration had been suspended.
Campbell was stopped and underwent a preliminary breath test, which showed alcohol in her system
Campbell refused to go for an evidentiary breath test and did not cooperate with police orders to get out of the car, instead accelerating away.
The court heard the car broke down after about 100 metres and Campbell attempted to hide from officers but was quickly found.
She was on bail at the time of the offending.
Campbell on Monday also pleaded guilty to a series of thefts from bottle shops, service stations, and clothing stores between May 2019 and March 2020.
The police prosecutor tendered 17 pages of prior convictions to the court.
Defence lawyer Luke Docherty told the court Campbell had already spent 12 days in pre-sentence detention.
Mr Docherty said while his client did have a significant list of prior convictions, she had not previously received a jail term.
Magistrate Megan Aumair indicated she would sentence Campbell to a community corrections order.
Campbell was remanded in custody to undergo the corrections assessment. She is due to return to court later this week.
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