Young Albany man convicted of stealing two cars including one belonging to prominent Indigenous elder

A 19-year-old Albany man has been convicted of stealing two vehicles — one of them belonging to a prominent Menang elder -- in 15 days. Aidan James Darren Rowley appeared in Albany District Court on November 15, pleading guilty to committing an aggravated burglary and stealing a motor vehicle on April 20. The court was told after entering an Emu Point holiday home, Rowley and two 14-year-old co-offenders stole a Toyota Hilux from the property and drove to Bunbury. Rowley was later caught by police driving the vehicle, arrested and taken to Bunbury Police Station. The District Court was told Rowley had had significant amounts of alcohol, contributing to his “impulsive and dumb behavi-our”. He was placed on an intensive supervision order for 18 months. Three days after that District Court hearing, Rowley appeared in Albany Magistrates Court on a separate charge of stealing a motor vehicle. The court heard he had stolen a vehicle belonging to a prominent Indigenous elder earlier in April. Police prosecutor Sgt Dave Loverock told the court Rowley stole the victim’s Land Rover Freelander on April 5-6 and drove it almost 300km north-west to Bunbury. Police found the SUV abandoned with minor damage on April 7. Magistrate Dianne Scaddan placed Rowley on a community-based order for 12 months to run alongside his existing ISO for the April 20 offences.