A man dubbed ‘the barcode bandit’ has offered an honest explanation after his cunning shoplifting business involving Caramello Koalas and Blu-Tack went awry.
Adrian Rondan, 54, appeared in Wollongong Court last week where he pleaded guilty to five counts of dishonestly obtaining property by deception after he was caught on CCTV stealing hundreds of dollars worth of food from his local Coles.
The court heard she used Blu-Tack to stick barcodes cut out of Caramello Koala chocolate bars and gum onto her finger and then scanned them at the self-service checkout instead of other more expensive items she left the supermarket with.
Rondan walked away with ice cream, mussels, steaks, toothpaste and insect repellent during five visits to Coles in Wollongong Central in April, but her receipt only listed packets of gum and chocolates.
In one of her purchases, she “bought” bread, boxes of Golden Gaytime, chicken thighs, steak, coconut water and a hair clipper, for a total of $143.10. She paid $11.20.
Rondan was sentenced to nine months in prison, which he must serve under an intensive correctional order at home.
When faced with A current issue This week, Ronden admitted that what he did was wrong, but explained that he was unemployed and short of money.
He added that his mother’s mounting medical bills led him to take desperate measures.
Adrian Rondan (pictured) offered a surprising excuse after his cunning shoplifting business involving Caramello Koalas and Blu-Tack went bust.
She used Blu-Tack to stick cut-out barcodes from Caramello Koalas (pictured) and gum onto her finger and then scanned those instead of more expensive items.
“We were very short of money… I know I did wrong,” he said.
“I didn’t want to shoplift. I didn’t want to just blatantly take things and put them in my pocket.”
Rondan’s lawyer told the court last week that his client was receiving a disability pension and was also a full-time carer for his elderly mother, Illawarra Mercury reported.
The magistrate chose not to sentence him to prison, but warned Rondan that he would be sent to prison if he shoplifted again.
“I’m not sure you’ll do well in prison, sir,” Judge Douglass said.
“Prison is a very violent, aggressive and competitive place… you would go in there as an older person and probably not as physically capable as many others.”
Adrian Ronan was caught on CCTV stealing hundreds of dollars worth of groceries from the self-service checkout at his local Coles in Wollongong Central.
Around seven per cent of Australians have admitted to shoplifting from supermarkets, almost double last year’s figures.
“It’s one thing to do everything you can to save money, but having a criminal record may not be the best way to do it,” Finder financial expert Taylor Blackburn told A Current Affair.
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