Garry Edwards jailed in Orange Local Court for stealing from multiple Orange businesses

Garry James Edwards, 41, of Lone Pine Avenue, pleaded guilty to stealing $300 worth of property from a petrol station, a $90 car stereo, a $170 tracksuit from a sports shop and $130 worth of bourbon from a bottle shop.

He was already in custody when he appeared in Orange Local Court represented by solicitor Carmen Just who said the matters were right on the custodial threshold due to his criminal history of similar offending but suggested the sentence could be dealt with in the community.

Magistrate David Day also took notice of Edwards' record and said he was of medium-to-high risk of reoffending and felt the shop owners and police had been "giving him a hard time".

"This goes to the issue of rehabilitation and also attitude," Mr Day said.

"Mr Edwards failed to [appreciate the] impact of his offending, he reported feeling pursued by police and shop workers," the magistrate said, referring to a pre-sentence assessment report and he didn't recognise "how his actions contributed to that".

"He seems to continuously prey on retail business.

"My understanding about the retail industry is it's not a charity, it's a business."

According to court documents, Edwards went to a Bathurst Road petrol station at 6.50am on June 25, 2022, and upon realising there was no one behind the counter he went behind the counter himself.

CCTV cameras caught him scurrying about and rummaging through unlocked under-counter cupboards, draws and open-ended cabinets.

During his search he removed items from the back wall display including three chargers valued at $35 each, two speakers valued at $50 each and about 15 $2 sim cards and secreted them within his clothing before leaving the store.

He also took a pack of cigarettes belonging to an employee, which the employee discovered was missing when he went to take a smoke break at 1.30pm.

Upon discovering the cigarettes missing, the employee reviewed the CCTV footage and discovered the theft and reported it to the police.

A month later on July 26, 2022, Edwards was caught stealing again, this time taking a car stereo worth $89.95 from Jaycar.

On that occasion he arrived at 3.15pm and a staff member watched him walking up and down an aisle, acting suspiciously.

The employee approached Edwards before he left the store and asked him to open his bag for inspection but Edwards refused and left.

A review of the CCTV footage showed him grabbing the car stereo and shoving it in the bag he was carrying. He was then seen attempting to avoid staff before being confronted at the door.

Edwards also stole $169.99 worth of Canterbury clothing from Sports Power about 2.30pm on August 18, 2022, when he rolled up a $70 jumper and a $99 pair of tracksuit pants and stuffed them into his bag.

He continued walking around the shop for a short period of time, looking at different clothes, before the store manager walked over to help him.

The accused talked to the manager for a while and left the shop without paying for the items.

That incident was also captured on CCTV.

About 9.35am on September 13, 2022, police arrested and cautioned Edwards after finding him on a bus at the Kurim Avenue bus stop.

On September 29, 2022, he was granted bail with a bail agreement that he not commit further offences and not enter Autobarn Orange, Jaycar Orange, Sports Power Orange or any store in the Orange Homemaker Centre.

However, Edwards was caught stealing again on December 13, 2022, from Ashcroft's IGA on Peisley Street.

CCTV footage showed him placing a two bottles of Jim Beam, worth $64.99 each, down his pants.

Ms Just said Edwards had problems with substance misuse and developed a heroin addiction following "a number of deaths in his family".

However, Mr Day said that reaction didn't make sense, "he's willing to risk his own life because of the risk of heroin, he's willing to risk that on his family?"

However, Ms Just then amended heroin has not been an issue for her client for a number of years, but he still has trouble with alcohol.

Mr Day did not agree with Ms Just's assessment, that the sentence could be served in the community.

"Community safety cannot be imposed with Mr Edwards being able to prey on shop owners," he said.

Mr Day handed Edwards a nine-month, full-time jail sentence with a six-month non-parole period for all the offences.

The jail sentence was back-dated to December 16, 2022, giving Edwards a potential release date of June 15, 2022.

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