By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Clyde North man has been jailed over an ice-fueled burglary and thievery spree, including fleeing from a Cranbourne store with more than $10,000 of jewellery.
Zac Hounsell had handed over his wallet, gave his name and phone number before he inspected a $1250 watch, a $2459 bracelet and a $7049 necklace at the Cranbourne jeweller’s shop on 28 March, a court heard.
He then did the runner, evading a security guard who took chase.
He was also charged over stealing car number plates, a purse and credit cards from a car as well as taking a silver Ford Falcon from a Cranbourne car yard.
Hounsell pleaded guilty to an aggravated burglary in Smiths Lane, Cranbourne South on 8 April in which he pointed a handgun at the female occupant inside the house.
From her bedroom, he stole a ring, necklace and passport.
He was also involved in a house burglary in McEwan Drive, Cranbourne West the following day. He had gained entry by removing roof tiles and going through a ceiling manhole.
During the ransacking, a motorcycle, phone, gaming consoles, a sound-bar, TV and remote, camera, laptop and a nail gun and other tools were stolen.
During a raid of Hounsell’s home on 12 April, police seized stolen items as well as 20 grams of ‘ice’, GHB and other drugs.
On 5 May, he and another burglar dropped bags of stolen items as they fled from a resident who arrived home in Cranbourne.
The burglars had gained entry through a bedroom flyscreen-window, pillaging children’s bedrooms.
Their abandoned loot included a gaming console, console games, a laptop, camera and wireless headphones.
Hounsell’s lawyer attributed the offending to drug addiction and depression.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen noted that Hounsell was relatively young, had no criminal history and excellent family support, but the offending was “high level”.
Hounsell was jailed for 90 days followed by an 18-month supervised community corrections order including drug and mental health treatment.
He had already served 56 days in remand custody.
