A MAN from Young who tried to pry open the front door of a Monteagle home, with plans to tie up the male occupant so he could steal cannabis and cash, has been sent to prison.
Craig Frank Apps of Taylor Road appeared in the recent sittings of Wagga District Court after pleading guilty to armed with intent to commit indictable offence, and attempted aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence (people there).
The 50-year-old was sentenced to 32 months’ jail, with a non-parole period of 22 months.
According to police facts tendered in the court, between the evening of August 9 and the early hours August 10, Apps and a co-accused planned to travel to Monteagle village to break into a property and steal cannabis, along with cash from a safe.
The co-accused allegedly received a text message containing a targeted rural address in Thistle Street.
Between 2.30am and 3am August 10, a 61-year-old female victim heard a dog barking outside.
She climbed out of bed to see what the dog was barking at but couldn’t see anyone outside.
She collected some firewood for the internal fire and, once placing the timber on the fire, she could hear the dog barking louder.
The victim went outside and saw two men standing in the street, one being Apps.
Slowly walking towards her front gate, Apps asked for water for his car, telling her it overheated.
She didn’t see a car but was willing to help.
Apps handed over four two-litre plastic bottles and she walked to the tap.
Meanwhile, a 55-year-old male walked outside and saw Apps jump a Colorbond fence, with an iron bar in his hand.
Apps made his way to the front door as the male victim, in fear of their safety, called to the woman.
She dropped the water bottles and ran inside, closing the front door to prevent Apps forcing his way inside.
Apps attempted to open the door with the bar, leaving behind jimmy marks.
The female victim told the male victim to call the police as Apps continued to bang on the front door with the bar.
A neighbour was also awoken by the sound of dogs barking.
Apps jumped back over the Colorbond fence, running - accompanied by the other male he arrived with - back to the vehicle driven by a third man.
All three men decamped before police arrived.
Apps and the co-accused drove back to Young where police arrived to find their vehicle still warm.
Police seized plastic containers for examination with a DNA profile matching Apps.
On August 11 Apps attended the Young Police Station voluntarily, where he admitted to carrying the plastic water containers and approaching the victim at the front gate of the house.
He also admitted to jumping over the fence, armed with an iron bar and banging on the door with the intention of forcing entry to steal cannabis and other items.
The facts stated that Apps said that upon gaining entry, the plan was to detain the male occupant, tie him up and steal cannabis from the premises. – The Young Witness
