And while Joel Ashley Riske was spending the money at a Ballarat hotel, he became involved in a fight, damaged a handrail and was arrested, Ballarat Magistrates Court was told yesterday.

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Steve Kent said Riske was one of a number of people invited to a 16-year-old girl's home on the weekend of August 7 while her parents were away.

He said Riske helped the girl search the house for motorcycle keys when he came upon an envelope containing the cash, but placed it back where he found it and then left the girl's house.

Riske later sent a mobile message to the girl that day asking her if she was home, to which she replied "no".

He returned to the house, forced the door open and stole the money.

That night, Riske went to the Red Lion Hotel and spent $5000 of the stolen cash on gambling, amphetamines, and bought alcohol for his friends and himself.

He said police arrested Riske after a fight broke out at the hotel and found $7700 cash and three grams of amphetamine on him. The girl's parents later reported the theft of the money and Riske was identified as the culprit.

Defence lawyer Matthew Carrazzo said his client, who had no prior offences for dishonesty, was at a loss to explain his offending.

Mr Carrazzo said Riske did have a significant amount of outstanding debts totalling $17,000.

Magistrate Kay Robertson sentenced Riske, of Sebastopol, to three months' jail suspended for 12 months and put him on a 12-month good behaviour bond with the condition he complete the Salvation Army positive-lifestyle program. He was ordered to pay $5000 compensation.

He pleaded guilty to burglary, theft, using amphetamine, possessing amphetamine, dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime and wilfully damaging property.