A shopping spree with a stolen credit card has proved costly for a Cowra man at Local Court.
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Logan John Petty, 18, of Waugoola Street, Cowra was before the court and plead guilty to dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception.
According to police facts tendered to the court, on the morning of June 14, 2021, the victim attended a local service station and purchased fuel before heading back to their residence outside of Cowra.
In the process, the victim lost their card which police said was soon found by Petty.
Seven minutes later, the card was used at the service station for a total of $54.55.
Two transactions worth $49.99 and $45.00 respectively followed at a bottle shop, before $100 was spent at another bottle shop.
A $88.95 transaction was detected at a local supermarket before another $96.99 purchase was made at a bottle shop again.
Three more purchases, worth $52.20, $94.95 and $111.90 respectively, were made at another supermarket.
The total spent was $694.53.
Petty then attempted to make two more purchases worth $76.99 and $49.99 at a bottle shop however the card declined.
At 3.13pm that day, the victim received a message from their bank, alerting them to the transactions and the card was subsequently cancelled and the victim reimbursed.
On Monday, June 21, the victim reported the matter to police.
From there, police made inquires and obtained CCTV footage from the service station, supermarkets and bottle shops.
Police were able to identify Petty in the footage.
Around 8.40pm on August 24, police attended a Waugoola St residence and spoke with Petty.
He was cautioned and admitted to being the person using the card to make the purchases.
However Petty told police an unknown male gave him the card to make the purchases on his behalf and said he took all of the items he bought to the mysterious man at a local bus stop.
Petty's solicitor, Mr Johnson said his client insists his version of events are true.
"He met an elderly fellow in Cowra who told him, in return for him going to the shops with his credit card, he would give him something in return," Mr Johnson said.
"He took the card not knowing it was stolen and went into various establishments.
"He insists it was true. He knows full well what an ordinary person may think reading this.
"It would be hoped Mr Petty would learn from this and think twice next time."
Both police prosecutor, Mr Donaghy and Magistrate Jillian Kiely questioned Petty's story, noting the first purchase was seven minutes within the card being lost, the name on the card was female and purchases were made under the tap and go limits.
"[It was an] opportunistic offence... It just defies belief," Magistrate Kiely said.
"I don't accept that explanation. There are nine transactions at six different stores... You took the necessary steps to avoid detection.
"You certainly got your money's worth out of someone's card."
Magistrate Kiely imposed a nine-month community corrections order on Petty, as well as ordered him to pay the victim's bank compensation to the total of $694.53.
"You're not in the Children Court's jurisdiction anymore," Magistrate Kiely said.
