A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to a maximum of three years and three months' jail for stealing guns and breaking into a garage to steal a toy helicopter and $10.
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Jordan Price, of Ashmont, appeared in Wagga District Court last Friday when he adhered to guilty pleas to stealing six firearms and aggravated break and enter to steal.
The charges relate to two separate incidents last year.
Court documents state that on June 22, Price entered a Mount Austin house through the garage door after the victim accidentally forgot to close it when he left.
Price then found a pair of bolt cutters and used it open a safe containing the guns.
He stole two rifles, three shotguns and one air rifle and was caught after police conducted a DNA profiling. The guns have not yet been recovered.
While on bail, Price and two others broke into the garage of a house in Moorong after midnight on September 24.
Price stole a toy helicopter and $10 in coins from inside the car.
One of the victims at the house was awake feeding her newborn child when she heard noises in the garage.
The CCTV footage in the garage was provided to police who arrested Price after searching his place in Ashmont.
In court last week, Judge Gordon Lerve said the gun thefts were opportunistic to some extent.
"Nevertheless, it did involve breaking open a compliant gun safe," he said.
"It is not insignificant that those firearms are not recovered."
Judge Lerve said he could not find on balance that Price was remorseful.
However, he said "there is a glimmer of hope so far as rehabilitation is concerned" if full-time residential rehabilitation were undertaken after release.
Judge Lerve also remarked about Price's psychological report, criminal record, history of illicit substance abuse and upbringing.
He said Price's criminal history did not entitle him to any particular leniency.
The court heard that Price's childhood was characterised by neglect, abandonment and family antisocial behaviours.
The court also heard that Price self-reported a diagnosis of ADHD in the psychological report.
Earlier in the hearing, defence barrister Michael King argued for leniency based on the gun thefts being opportunistic rather than planned.
Mr King also argued that the second incident was a low-range offence because of the stolen items were of low value.
"It's not a very successful theft," he said.
However, Crown solicitor Virginia Morgan said that the offences were serious because the guns being unaccounted for means the gravity of the stealing was much greater.
Ms Morgan also cited the distress on the occupants in the break and enter incident because they became aware of it.
The Crown argued that there was no causal link between Price's ADHD and the offences.
Price had been in custody since December 2018. WIth a non-parole period of one year and eight months, he will be eligible for early release in August next year.
Judge Lerve said the sentence indicated a substantial finding of special circumstances because of Price's need for intensive and extensive supervision.
Price's family was present in court to support him.