A thief who stole a $480,000 truck and a $9000 motorbike and trailer has been banned from driving and ordered to perform community work for his brazen offending.
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David Delabertouche, 52, gave various reasons for his offending, including that the Triumph was "owed to him from a past life" and that it would take him time to learn from his mistakes.
The truck, which belonged to a Myrtleford trucking business, was parked outside the Twin City Truck Centre on February 24.
The owner arranged a driver to deliver the Kenworth.
Keys were hidden underneath the bonnet with staff at the business to take the prime mover.
But before they could get to the vehicle, Delabertouche spotted it, and parked a silver Volkswagen Tiguan he was driving about 5am.
He managed to locate and use the key, which activated a GPS tracker, and drove to Finley.
He parked in the rural town and asked to borrow tools from someone.
Police were alerted and attended and found Delabertouche with the vehicle, having disconnected the gear stick and some hoses.
He was taken to the town's police station for interview and admitted he had gotten the Kenworth from Wodonga.
The key to the Volkswagen was inside the truck.
It was the same vehicle the 52-year-old had used to steal a Triumph motorbike in broad daylight.
Delabertouche arrived less than an hour later and told a witness he was there to pick up the bike, which was on a trailer.
The witness said they didn't know anything about it, and Delabertouche walked away.
He hitched up the trailer and motorbike to the Volkswagen and drove off on Melbourne Road.
Delabertouche previously admitted to two counts of vehicle theft and a charge of committing an indictable offence on bail.
He returned to Wodonga court this week and was ordered to perform 150 hours of unpaid community work and banned from driving for six months.
The court had heard that drugs had been an long running issue for the 52-year-old.
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"His decision making was completely out the window and he totally admits that," lawyer Eva Medcraft said in August.
Delabertouche must undertake treatment and rehabilitation programs as directed by corrections staff.
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