Albany man fined for stealing 1000 aluminium cans collected for Containers for Change by local primary school

An Albany man has been fined for stealing a bag of 1000 cans from a local primary school which was going to be cashed in for 10¢ refunds as part of WA’s Containers for Change scheme. Marlon John Williams, 51, was fined $250 at Albany Magistrates Court on September 29 for stealing a bag of empty aluminium drink cans from Mt Lockyer Primary School. Police prosecutor Sgt Peter Yuswack told the court about 6.10am on March 28, Williams stole a wool bale bag from Mt Lockyer Primary School which contained about 1000 used cans that the school had collected. The court was told the cans were expected to be worth about $100 when refunded through Containers for Change. Sgt Yuswack said when police later questioned Williams he said he had assumed the cans were “just rubbish”. Defence lawyer Ray Muir said Williams admitted that he was intoxicated when he stole the bag of cans. Mr Muir said Williams “disposed” of the cans on a street in Lockyer and did not gain any benefit from them. Magistrate Dianne Scaddan said it was “obvious” the school had gone to the effort of collecting the cans for the refund scheme. Willams was fined $250, with $264.30 in court costs.