Serial Bike Thief Faces Court After Wollongong Crime Spree
A Wollongong man who embarked on a brazen bicycle-stealing spree across the city's CBD has been sentenced to imprisonment, though he will serve his time in the community under strict conditions.
Noah James Beaton, 24, appeared in Wollongong Local Court to face sentencing for a series of crimes committed mostly within a 12-hour period in July 2024. The court heard detailed accounts of his offending spree that targeted secured residential buildings.
The Nighttime Crime Wave
According to agreed facts presented to the court, Beaton's crime spree began on July 24, 2024, at 9:15pm when he and an accomplice were captured on CCTV entering the basement car park of a Regent Street apartment building. The pair cut the lock to a storage cage and stole a Fluid mountain bike valued at $400.
Just a short time later, the offenders moved to another residential building in Denison Street. Security footage showed them approaching a bike rack where Beaton used bolt cutters to sever chains securing two premium bicycles - a Giant bike and a Liv bike with a combined value of $1,749. Both men rode these newly stolen bikes away from the scene.
When police investigated several days later, they made a significant discovery. One of the bicycles left behind by the thieves was identified as the same bike stolen from the Regent Street building earlier that evening.
Morning Raid and Arrest
The crime wave continued into the following morning when a resident of another Regent Street unit building discovered his $2,000 Scott Scale mountain bike missing from his secured storage cage in the underground car park.
Police review of CCTV footage revealed Beaton and his accomplice had entered the building just over an hour before the theft was discovered. The footage clearly showed Beaton's face before he concealed his identity with a balaclava and hoodie prior to entering the car park.
The court heard that the other offender cut the padlock to the victim's storage cage, with both men entering before wheeling out the expensive mountain bike. The pair then left the scene on bicycles, with the accomplice riding the newly stolen bike while simultaneously wheeling his original bicycle beside him.
Beaton was arrested later that month after twice attempting to run from police. The court also learned he had stolen the bolt cutters used in the crimes from Bunnings.
Court Sentencing and Rehabilitation Focus
Defence lawyer Tim McKenzie informed the court that Beaton had spent two months and 24 days in custody - his first experience of imprisonment. Mr McKenzie highlighted that Beaton had remained drug-free while in custody and that his recently retired father was available to support him upon release.
The court heard that Beaton had previously demonstrated a strong work ethic through a carpentry apprenticeship, and his lawyer argued that community interests would be best served by allowing him to access treatment programs.
Magistrate Gabriel Fleming noted concerning patterns in Beaton's behaviour, observing that he had five matters for dishonesty on his criminal record, all occurring within the previous couple of years.
"Something's gone drastically wrong," Ms Fleming remarked during sentencing. She described Beaton's actions as "appalling" for invading secured spaces to steal bicycles intended for sale to fund drug habits.
Despite the seriousness of the offences, the magistrate acknowledged Beaton's youth and genuine remorse. While determining that imprisonment was the only appropriate sentence, she ordered Beaton to serve it in the community through an intensive correction order.
The sentence includes strict conditions prohibiting illicit drug use, mandatory attendance at drug and alcohol programs as directed, and completion of 150 hours of community service. The court also accounted for time Beaton had already spent in custody, and he must complete an additional 75 hours of community service from a previous community correction order for knife and intimidation offences.
At the time of his bicycle theft spree, Beaton was already serving this community correction order, having pleaded guilty to charges including aggravated break and enter in company and steal, aggravated stealing in dwelling and breaking out, larceny, and shoplifting.
