Alleged bobcat thief denied bail in Ballarat Magistrates' Court

Accused man Jamie Hancock had been in custody for 73 days when he appeared via video link from prison in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on related charges.

Authorities allege about 2.30am on February 21, 2023, the accused and a co-accused stole a 2008 bobcat from a Central Highlands Water (CHW) site in Mount Pleasant, transporting the machinery in a tipper truck.

Prosecution evidence submitted to the court detailed the bobcat's GPS tracking data, the accused's mobile phone location records, and CCTV footage from a service station where the pair were alleged to have stopped.

A CHW employee first reported to police when he arrived at work to find a gate lock cut and the bobcat missing.

Using the machinery's GPS tracking, the employee located it in Cardigan where it was found hidden under a bush.

Police nominal informant Detective Senior Constable Mark Howard told the court more charges may be laid.

"It was the first of a spate of heavy vehicle thefts in the area from the 21^st of February to the 25^th of February and further charges are likely to follow as a result of the ongoing investigation," he said.

Hancock was on bail at the time for allegedly forcing entry to Maryborough Toyota dealership about a month earlier, in the early hours of January 17, when he was said to have stolen a Toyota LandCruiser and HiLux with his brother, Drew Hancock, 28.

About 8.56am, the pair were said to have stopped the cars at Clunes-Creswick Road and West Berry Road, in Glendonald, because the LandCruiser was having engine issues.

A witness, who was driving nearby, called police. Police arrived about 9.23am and the men fled on foot to a nearby farm, where they were said to have accessed an unlocked 1989 Mitsubishi truck, and drove it to a gate exit at the property.

"At this time they observed [police parked] within the gateway," the police informant told the court in January.

"The accused began reversing the stolen truck towards the police vehicle, forcing [police] to flee to prevent serious injury. The accused collided with the police vehicle and continued driving."

Defence counsel for Jamie Hancock, Rose George, told the court on Friday he had been assessed as a suitable participant for a court support program if bailed.

"This treatment in combination with a list of stringent bail conditions will provide a more intensive level of support in the community than he's had in some time," Ms George said.

But the prosecution said Hancock's 21-page criminal history showed a "blatant disregard" for bail conditions imposed by courts in the past.

Ultimately, Magistrate Mark Stratmann agreed.

"This was [an alleged] planned theft of a very expensive piece of equipment," Mr Stratmann said.

"The context of that is that he was on bail, in relation to alleged dishonesty offending, in relation to two motor vehicles ... some four weeks prior to the alleged subsequent offending.

"[It's] not dissimilar to the alleged offending he's engaged in now.

"[He has] significant prior history. When I look at the 21 pages, they are filled with offences against the bail act."

Hancock will remain in custody until he returns to court on May 15.

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