A NOWRA man who stole an elderly woman’s handbag after she fell over in the car park of a Nowra supermarket has been fined $1000 and placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Allan William James Browne, 37, pleaded guilty to larceny in Nowra Local Court.
Court papers said just after 1pm (June 2, 2017), the 77-year-old woman was in a supermarket car park in East Street when she fell while attempting to stop her trolley from rolling away.
At the time the woman’s handbag was strung over the rear of the trolley.
Shopping centre CCTV footage captured the whole incident, including Browne who was unloading his trolley nearby, taking the handbag.
A number of people assisted the woman when it was noticed her handbag, containing $40 in cash, three credit cards and a $300 Myer gift card, was missing from the trolley.
Police arrested Browne the following day at his Nowra home.
He told officers the handbag was “in the kitchen” and he was “going to hand it in.”
Magistrate Michael Stoddart fined Browne $1000 and placed him on a 12-month good behaviour bond.