A parolee smashed his way into five service stations leaving a trail of destruction on the hunt for things to steal. Here’s what happened.
Matthew Alexander De Campo was already on parole when he committed five separate break and enters at service stations over two days in February 2023.
As a result he celebrated his 30th birthday behind bars.
It all started about 3.17am on February 24 when a dark grey Hyundai Tucson station wagon pulled up at Crocker Fuel and Oil on Connors Rd at Paget.
De Campo and others got out dressed in dark clothing, gloves and face masks.
Mackay Magistrates Court heard he removed a strap from the boot and smashed entry into the business attempting to secure it around an ATM, which was empty.
Mackay police investigated a break in at a Connors Rd service station on February 24. Picture: Supplied
So De Campo forced entry into two cupboard drawers and stole cigarettes and other items before leaving.
The court heard over February 26, De Campo hit four service stations in the same vehicle attached with stolen rego plates, wearing a mask and in the company of another person.
They smashed a glass front door at Ampol Nebo but left after an alarm sounded.
Then De Campo smashed a glass panel into the BP Nebo Junction Cafe where he unsuccessfully tried to steal tobacco products and made off with some cans of energy drink.
Their next stop was Puma Racecourse where they smashed through the front door and ransacked the counter areas targeting the tobacco cupboards.
The court heard they next smashed through a sliding-glass door at TSG Ooralea, again ransacking the front counter area trying to steal tobacco products but were again unsuccessful.
All break and enters were captured on CCTV cameras.
The break in at a Connors Rd service station was captured on CCTV. Picture: Supplied
At 4.30pm on February 26, police raided De Campo’s Beaconsfield home and caught him trying to hide two face masks, one of which resembled that worn in the two last breaks and enters.
De Campo pleaded guilty to multiple charges including four counts of break and enter and commit indictable offence and one attempted enter premises with intent.
Prosecutor Lennon Stathoulis pushed for 12 to 15 months jail to reflect De Campo’s criminality, acknowledging De Campo had already spent 98 days in custody on remand.
Mr Stathoulis said the 30-year-old had relevant entries on his criminal history, which was seven pages, and had been on parole for like offending.
Defence solicitor Peter Clark, of Strutynski Law, said his client was a Mackay local and his parents were well known business owners.
Mr Clark said De Campo’s criminal history really took off in 2020 when he was “caught in the grip” of a meth addiction.
“He’s been misled by associates on release,” Mr Clark said, adding De Campo had been “able to go cold turkey while in custody”.
Matthew Alexander De Campo pleaded guilty to committing a raft of smash and dash breaks at service stations across the Mackay Whitsunday region.
“But cold turkey is not the same as being rehabilitated.”
Acting Magistrate Rob Turra said De Campo had “not really ceased offending since you … commenced an addiction with ice in 2020”.
“There’s not many businesses in Mackay that are safe from the likes of you,” Mr Turra said, adding the offending was “an escalation” in his behaviour.
“You went on a crime spree.
“There’s not much that is mitigating, apart from your plea of guilty.”
De Campo was jailed for 15 months with immediate parole release because there would be a delay in the process.