A 28-year-old man has pleaded guilty to an extensive list of burglaries within Collie and Australind.
Paul van den Enden attended Bunbury Magistrates Court on May 25 via video link from Bunbury Regional Prison.
Enden was initially charged with 17 counts of stealing, 14 counts of gaining benefits via fraud, 10 counts of committing home burglaries, six counts of committing burglaries, three counts of possessing stolen/unlawfully obtained property, three counts of fraud, two counts of possessing a firearm/ammunition without a licence, two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia, and one count of possessing cannabis.
After deliberations between Magistrate Belinda Coleman, defence lawyer Michael Joubert, and Police Prosecutor Sergeant Greg Ward, eight of the charges were dismissed.
Enden pleaded guilty to a range of charges covering incidents in 2017 and 2018.
Enden pleaded guilty to stealing from a Collie residence on December 19 last year.
Between January 17 and 18, Enden stole from other residences in Collie.
Items stolen from Collie residences, between December 19 and May 9, include two chainsaws, two laptops, a TV, and household items.
Enden stole chainsaws, worth $3000 overall, from a residence in Australind between January 27 and 28.
Between January 10 and 27, Enden gained $335 via fraud.
He stole a TV and other electrical items from an Australind home between February 2 and 3.
Between February 10 and 18, it is believed he stole a Waco fridge from a home in Australind.
He pleaded to stealing electrical and fishing items, worth $500 overall, from a shed in Australind between February 13 and 14.
He also stole items including chainsaws, mowers, and a TV from another shed in Australind between February 14 and 15.
Between February 14 and 16, he stole power tools, a mower, and a generator from another Australind residence.
Enden admitted to stealing $7000 worth of items – including speakers and solar panels –from a home in Australind between February 16 and 19.
He also admitted to gaining benefits of $1185 via fraud between February 1 and 19.
Between March 1 and 3, he stole a guitar, guitar case, fishing rods, gun parts and ammunition, and a portable fridge from multiple homes in Australind.
He also pleaded to stealing from multiple Collie residences between February 22 and March 2.
On March 9, Enden was found possessing a bolt action .22 rifle and ammunition without a licence.
The accused was also discovered on March 9 with items police believe to have been stolen.
In Collie on March 10, he was caught with cannabis, a smoking implement containing methamphetamine, and a Lenovo laptop believed to have been stolen.
He pleaded to stealing CCTV cameras and noise-cancelling headphones from Australind residences on April 16.
Enden was also found with a glass smoking implement containing meth on the same date.
In March, Enden gained benefits of $1380 via fraud.
He also gained $300 on December 16, $300 on January 18, and $700 on March 6 in benefits via fraud in Bunbury.
Enden will reappear in Bunbury Magistrates Court via video link on July 22 for sentencing.
Pre-sentence and psychological reports were requested.
