Man stole woman's jewellery
from his child's grandmother to buy drugs will be sentenced next month.
Galvin Butterfield, of Cedar Park, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court on Monday to the theft and to causing $1,500 worth of damage to doors in the complainant's house.
Prosecutor Sgt. John Dale said the complainant left her house at 8.30 a.m. to go to work. When she returned home at 5.30 p.m., she noticed that the exterior and interior windows on the kitchen door were smashed. She also found her jewellery -- which had been packed away -- on the floor in her bedroom.
Upon looking to see if any jewellery was missing, the complainant was unable to locate a charm bracelet, a ring, and two sets of earrings.
Sgt. Dale said Butterfield sold the charm bracelet for $100 to buy drugs.
But the complainant was able to recover the bracelet which was missing three charms.
Butterfield told Police he visited the person's residence on a cycle with another person to steal jewellery.
He said when he noticed the doors were locked he left and returned later with a hammer.
He then broke the glass exterior kitchen door and put his hand through to unlock the door, Sgt. Dale said. Butterfield tried to break the glass on the interior door but when that failed he broke the door.
Butterfield said he found a box-like briefcase in the woman's closet from which he removed a charm bracelet and $300 sapphire ring.
However, he denied taking any other jewellery and claimed he threw away the ring because he thought it was fake.
Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis remanded Butterfield in custody until August 28 when a social inquiry report was due.