At the time, Kenny Francis Douglas had been out of jail for just five days over unrelated matters.

"Oi," he said in one message to the woman. "Send me them photos of the car."

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Four hours later he sent her another message, which read: " Send me the photos of the campfire."

The message was followed by a laughing emoji, Albury Local Court has been told.

Douglas, 18, of Coolibah Court, pleaded guilty to charges of driving a conveyance taken without consent of owner, drive while disqualified and a serious indictable offence of receiving stolen property.

He remains in custody, bail refused.

Police said Douglas was also due to front the Wodonga Magistrate's Court in May over the same offending.

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Magistrate Tony Murray was told how a Toyota Tarago, with the keys inside, was stolen from outside a property in Fairway Drive, North Albury, overnight on December 9.

About 6.30am on December 11, the stolen van was driven to the United service station on Melrose Drove in Wodonga.

Douglas got out of the driver's seat, filled the van with petrol, made no attempt to pay and then got back in and drove away. His face was captured on CCTV security footage.

Police later obtained messages sent between Douglas and the woman. One sent at 6.41am included a video of the van being driven on Melbourne Road.

"What car ya in, Spinner?" the woman asked.

"A van," he replied.

After the van was set on fire late that afternoon, in parkland behind Melgaard Court, Wodonga, Douglas and another man rode a quad bike back to the woman's home in Trudewind Road.

Wodonga police attended the fire about 5.30pm, only to find the van was destroyed.

Douglas will be sentenced on February 2.

Mr Murray ordered a sentence assessment report.

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