Shaun Schoefbaenker, 29, was sentenced to three years and three months' imprisonment at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court via video link on Wednesday.

The Wendouree man's drug-fuelled offending started in October and even though he was charged and bailed on strict conditions in December, he continued his crime spree until January.

It included stealing 11 motor vehicles, setting three vehicles on fire, three burglaries, a police chase, failing to stop after a car accident, driving while unlicensed and fuel drive-offs in stolen vehicles.

Schoefbaenker's first lot of crimes occurred in October and November when he stole a $3000 motorbike from a car dealership in Learmonth Road, Wendouree; broke into a Park Street business in Wendouree; smashed car windows at Mitchell Park and a Wendouree bowling club car park; and stole fuel from service stations in Sebastopol and Maryborough.

In one incident, Schoefbaenker was driving a stolen Mazda sedan along Main Road, Golden Point, when he collided with another car at the York Street roundabout, causing extensive damage. He left the scene without stopping.

Schoefbaenker made admissions to the offences to police, telling officers he sold the motorbike for drug money, and he was charged and bailed on December 6.

But two weeks later in January, he set fire to a red Nissan Pulsar on Frenchmans Lane using a match or cigarette lighter, which completely destroyed the car.

Police identified Schoefbaenker after a witness took a photo of him and a co-accused driving from the scene in a stolen Ford Territory.

In a second car fire, Schoefbaenker poured petrol on the front seat of a stolen Jeep and set fire to it at parkland near Grevillea Road, Wendouree. The car fire caused about one acre of land to burn.

A third car fire occurred in January when Schoefbaenker poured petrol on the seat of a stolen black Pajero and set it alight at Miners Rest.

All three car fires occurred in high risk areas during the fire season, the court was told

A high-speed police chase occurred after police were patrolling the Warrenheip area on January 12 and they saw Schoefbaenker driving a stolen white Ford Territory at 1.15am.

Police officers activated their lights for Schoefbaenker to pull over near the Western Freeway but he turned his headlights off and drove across the centre of the freeway, reaching speeds of 110km/h.

Schoebaenker drove for 300 metres to the north side of the freeway before reaching Black Swamp Road where he got out of the vehicle and fled.

Police chased him and he was found in bushes and he was arrested, charged and remanded in custody where he has been since.

In sentencing Schoefbaenker on Wednesday, magistrate Ron Saines said the high-speed police chase resulted in charges of reckless conduct endangering life, speeding, dangerous driving and unlicensed driving.

He described Schoefbaenker's offending as out of control.

"This offending must be regarded as serious because 15 of those are punishable by imprisonment," Mr Saines said.

He said since 2011, Schoefbaenker had been sentenced to five terms of imprisonment and he was frequently convicted.

The magistrate said although Schoefbaenker had been diagnosed with an intellectual disability, a doctor's report stated drug use was the main contributor to his offending.

"Your offending is much more related to drug use rather than your intellectual disability," Mr Saines said.

IN OTHER NEWS

Schoefbaenker pleaded guilty on July 30 to 54 charges, including 11 counts of car theft, three counts of arson, three counts of burglaries, nine counts of unlicensed driving and one count each of reckless conduct endangering life, speeding and dangerous driving.

Defence lawyer David Tamanika previously said Schoebaenker had been very co-operative with police, providing them with most of the details of his offending.

The magistrate said he applied leniency to Schoefbaenker's sentence because he had pleaded guilty.

Schoefbaenker must serve two years in prison before being eligible for parole. He has already served 206 days of his sentence.

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