A man who stole alcohol from three bottle shops in a month has been ordered to complete unpaid community work.
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Jye Hynes pleaded guilty to three counts of shop theft and two counts of committing an offence while on bail at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Friday.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Ben Jones told the court Hynes put two cans of Wild Turkey and coke in his pocket, ignored staff and walked out of the BWS store on Eastwood Street on October 6.
Later the same day he put four cans of bourbon and cola in his pocket and walked out of the Ballarat Dan Murphy store.
Senior Constable Jones said on October 22 he stole a bottle of Bundaberg rum and one can of Woodstock and cola by putting it down his pants, from the BWS store at Stockland Wendouree.
The thefts totaled around $100 in value.
Hynes said he was on ice, didn't have money to pay and couldn't remember much about the thefts when interviewed by police.
He was arrested on Thursday on warrant.
A Ballarat defence lawyer said Hynes had a substantial drug history, but was now on a community corrections order and engaged with his psychologist.
"He hasn't yet had an opportunity to benefit from the treatment on the community corrections order," she said.
Magistrate Ron Saines sentenced Hynes to 80 hours unpaid community work, on top of requirements to be completed under his active community corrections order.
"If your rate of offending continues as it did in 2019, there is no doubt you will have a period of imprisonment," he said.
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