In the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Thursday, Anne Soan pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to a three-month jail term.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Sam Young told the court Soan broke into her neighbour’s house by climbing on a rubbish bin and removing the flyscreen from a rear window on March 20, 2015 while the victim spoke outside with a man, who claimed to have lost his dog.

Senior Constable Young said the victim noticed the open window in the kitchen before finding Soan rummaging through bedside drawers.

When questioned by police, Soan said she was “looking for items taken from her house". 

The court heard the victim also found cordial mixed in the fridge, soaps mixed in the bathroom and a “knapsack” of DVDs and electrical goods in the middle of the bed.

Senior Constable Young said Soan later told police she put the knapsack on the bed to “make it look like a male had gone into the house”.

When asked why she attempted to steal items from the house, Soan told police she thought being in jail was the best option for her so she “wanted to get locked up".

The court heard two days later the victim found the spare keys to a car missing. The car was located near Scott Parade with a bottle of methadone with Soan's name on it and other items linking Soan to the car.

Senior Constable Young said Soan made full admissions to taking the keys and told police she took the car because she “wanted to drive to Melbourne to see her children and grandchildren". 

Soan's lawyer Mike Wardell told the court the incidents were “somewhat out of behaviour for her”. 

Magistrate Cynthia Toose cancelled and disqualified Soan's license for 12 months and sentenced her to three months imprisonment. 

Soan was later granted appeal bail.