By Cam Lucadou-Wells
AN ENDEAVOUR Hills man has told a bail hearing that he has been only identified at a spate of burglaries due to his large “body type”.
Qadir Rahmani, 25, told Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 19 September that he had been accused because a “larger man covered with a face mask” had been seen at one of the scenes.
“They’re basically going by my body type.”
According to a tendered police summary, Rahmani – a disqualified driver who was out on bail and on a community corrections order – was identified in a stolen Toyota Kluger at several of the five burglaries which occurred in August and September.
He was accused of breaking into a Notting Hill computer retailer and stealing nine computers valued at $8860, a $70 petrol drive off in Hallam, stealing $14,365 of tools from two break-ins at a Discount Trader store in Mt Waverley and the theft of $2000 worth of security equipment in a separate burglary.
At dawn on 31 August, Rahmani and an unknown associate allegedly entered a Berwick home by forcing the roller door and kicking in the internal garage door leading inside the home.
After being disturbed by an occupant, they ran away and escaped in a black Mazda 6 with an attached trailer.
Rahmani also allegedly sped at 120 km/h in a 60 km/h zone from police as he left the Bayswater Hotel on 17 August.
Police immediately terminated the pursuit, the court was told.
The Kluger was found with a false paper number plate 150 metres from Rahmani’s home on 15 September.
Inside the car was a Melbourne Pathology receipt with Rahmani’s name and address, police alleged.
A water feature allegedly stolen from a SJD display home by Rahmani on 4 September was also found in his front yard.
In his home were other suspected proceeds of crime such as a nail gun, heat gun, hedge trimmer, power and hand tools and a printer.
At the time, the accused was on bail over a theft of a rental car which was used in a petrol drive-off in Officer in July, as well as theft of a motorbike in 2015.
Police alleged he had breached bail conditions such as not driving and not attending an alcohol-licensed premises.
He had also failed to perform unpaid community work and drug rehab programs as part of his community corrections order.
“It’s something I didn’t feel comfortable doing,” Rahmani told the court.
“(The community corrections officer) wouldn’t listen to what I had to say, really. I didn’t feel comfortable with her.
“I didn’t feel motivated getting up and going because of how I was treated.”
Representing himself, Rahmani told the court he lived with his family and was prepared to go on strict bail conditions such as daily signing-in at police stations and a night curfew.
He told the court he was withdrawing from ice use and had mental health issues.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen rejected bail, noting the seriousness and quantity of offences committed while Rahmani was on bail and not complying with a corrections order.
“When you add it all up like that, it’s a bit overwhelming for you, Mr Rahmani.”
Rahmani is expected to re-appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 11 October.
