Brett Christopher Hudson: Man jailed for stealing $18,800 in tools and $5500 cash

A man who stole more than $18,000 of tools from building sites around the Great Southern has been jailed for 12 months. Brett Christopher Hudson, 46, appeared via video link from Albany Regional Prison in Albany Magistrates Court on Thursday. He pleaded guilty to six charges of burglary and commit and stealing from Cranbrook, Broomehill, and Milpara. Police prosecutor Sgt Warrick Walker told the court in the hours between 5.30pm and 6.30am of June 27, Hudson broke into CBH Cranbrook. He entered the building by removing a flyscreen before proceeding to steal $10,000 of tools and machinery. The same day he also broke into a construction site in Broomehill belonging to Martinus Rail by removing padlocks and proceeded to steal $8800 in tools. Captured on CCTV on November 13, Hudson visited Scott Bins, a skip bin company, on Chesterpass Road in a white ute about 6.15pm. An employee before he was let go, Hudson forced entry into the building by breaking the locks before stealing a black money box containing $5500 cash. Hudson traded the stolen tools for cash at Mister Money on North Road. A search of Hudson’s house found $3385 cash which he says was a legitimate amount and came from the sale of a caravan. Magistrate Dianne Scaddan was unimpressed by his explanation of the cash saying “he spent someone else’s money, not his own”. Hudson’s lawyer Bruno Illari asked the court to consider giving Hudson “another chance” by placing him on a community-based order. Mr Illari said Hudson previously had problems with methamphetamine and had 17 burglary offences dating back to 1995. Ms Scaddan said the amount stolen in tools, machinery and cash was a substantial amount. “Two of the burglaries happened within quick succession,” Ms Scaddan said. “It’s no small burglary, there were a substantial amount of items stolen. “You were on bail for the previous two burglaries but then you had to go and commit burglary again.” Hudson was sentenced to 12 months jail and was made eligible for parole.