By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A man who pleaded guilty to being involved in $64,000-plus commercial burglaries of bikes and guitars has been put on a community corrections order.
Andrea Tzoumanekas, of Dandenong North, claimed he had only ever met his two co-offenders in Brandon Park shopping centre car park on the night of the burglaries, Dandenong Magistrates’ Court heard.
After smoking ice together, the three of them travelled in a silver Ford sedan with a flatbed trailer and side-cage to four businesses in the early hours of 11 November 2015.
First there was a $54 petrol drive-off at an Officer servo, where Tzoumanekas was observed wearing a fluoro high-visibility jacket and pants.
An hour later, the group broke into Billy Hyde’s Music in Blackburn and stole 10 guitars valued at $18,928.
The group unsuccessfully attempted to bash in the front door of a shop in Whitehorse Road, Mitcham minutes later.
Still before dawn, Tzoumanekas forced open a rear door at a shop on Berwick-Clyde Road and stole 10 bicycles valued at $46,000.
The bikes were loaded on the trailer, which was then driven to The Glen Motor Inn – across the road from Brandon Park shopping centre.
On 19 November, Tzoumanekas fled from police officers when they arrived at his room at the motor inn, and was arrested at the nearby shopping centre.
Three of the guitars were recovered at a co-accused’s Narre Warren home and four bikes from the home of the co-accused’s partner.
Tzoumanekas told police he didn’t get paid or gain anything from the burglaries.
He also pleaded guilty to separate instances of speeding and driving disqualified in 2015.
Defence lawyer Emma Strugnell told the court that Tzoumanekas had been living with an undiagnosed major depressive disorder for 20 years.
His condition – which sometimes caused him to lock himself away at home for weeks at a time, had only been diagnosed a week ago, Ms Strugnell said.
Tzoumanekas was unmedicated and hadn’t received formal drug counselling, the court heard.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said there was no point putting Tzoumanekas on corrections-order conditions such as unpaid work.
“If you’re struggling with depression, there’s no point putting you on an order you can’t comply with.”
Mr Vandersteen noted Tzoumanekas had not been convicted for more than 20 years and was likely to stay out of trouble.
“It’s important that you engage in some treatment.”
The accused was bailed for sentencing on 17 August.
