Shoplifter Graeme Loxton could not have made his exploits any more obvious.
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Ten-packs of Coke and Fanta, a selection of cheeses, a 10-metre electrical extension cord – it was all there.
But that was just a small sample of the the overloaded grocery trolley he wheeled straight out of the Coles supermarket in Albury’s West End Plaza.
Loxton made no attempt to approach a cashier, or anyone, to try to pay for his shopping back on the afternoon of March 7.
It was a $680.05 theft that had his case in Albury Local Court this week on a shoplifting charge, the police having spoken to him at his Lavington home on March 24.
But his arrest clearly made no difference, for a few weeks later he was back at his offending yet again.
On that day, March 29, Albury police’s target action group launched its operation “Light Fingers 2016”.
The intention was tackling thefts taking place at the Coles and Liquorland stores in Lavington.
Loxton, 28, came unstuck after trying to pinch pieces of beef and lamb at Coles.
He was again charged with shoplifting, with his overall offending breaching a bond given to him over an assault back in April last year.
He pleaded guilty to both shoplifting offences.
For that he was placed on a community service order and ordered to do 110 hours of unpaid work.
Magistrate Tony Murray was told in police facts how Loxton selected 129 items.
These included dog meat rolls, instant coffee, breakfast cereals, cans of baked beans, a chopping board, fly spray and shower gel.
The meat he stole from Coles in Lavington consisted of two pieces of lamb, priced at $29.16 and $26.91, and one piece of beef, for $58.30.
He shoved the meat into an empty grey plastic shopping bag.