Scott Kavanagh, 43, plead guilty to a string of theft and burglary charges. 

The court heard that on December 15, 2013, between 2pm and 3pm, another offender broke into a vehicle in Delacombe and stole a wallet containing a credit card. 

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Clint Prebble said Kavanagh and the co-accused went on to use the credit card in a variety of supermarkets and bottle shops across Sebastopol and Wendouree. 

Senior Constable Prebble said the pair racked up a total of $742.44 in spending on the card, before the owner of the card cancelled access. 

On February 13 this year, police arrested Kavanagh after searching his Redan property.

Police discovered the card, pieces of copper, a laptop and a samurai sword. 

Kavanagh’s lawyer Mike Wardell said his client had been co-operative with police during the process. 

“They were always going to be caught...there was no attempt to disguise himself, he left his fingerprints everywhere,” Mr Wardell said. 

“He has made full and frank admissions.” 

Magistrate Kay Robertson said Kavanagh had committed a serious crime that had several victims. 

“The victim (of the stolen card) has been put through the inconvenience to go through reporting it,” Ms Robertson said. 

“Everyone in the community also feels less safe.” 

“The victim is the bank and the bank’s customers,” Ms Robertson said. 

Ms Robertson said while the message of locking away your valuables in cars was important, people had the right to feel safe in their own community. 

“People still like to think that we live in a safe society,” she said. 

Kavanagh received a six month suspended jail sentence over 18 months and a $1000 fine. 

In 2001, Kavanagh was imprisoned for breaching a suspended sentence. In 1994 and 2007 he was also charged with burglary.