By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A MAN linked to multiple aggravated burglaries and stolen cars in the south-east, including in Keysborough and Hampton Park, has pleaded to a court for help in relation to his cannabis and amphetamine addiction.
Allem Sabitovic, 27, who had been living in Noble Park, won bail with daily reporting and night curfew conditions at a Dandenong Magistrates’ Court hearing on 23 May.
The unemployed man had been in custody since 7 April when arrested for driving unlicensed in an unregistered car with a stolen number plate at Northland shopping centre, Preston.
Senior Constable Courtney Henderson of Preston police told the court Sabitovic tried to flee as police searched the car.
Police seized 24.3 grams of cannabis, a stolen passport and a baton from the car’s interior.
At the time, Sabitovic had been on a community corrections order as well as multiple counts of bail for a string of thefts since 2015, including an alleged home garage burglary in Perry Road, Keysborough, on 24 March and commercial burglary in Dandenong South on 27 March.
A stolen station wagon was driven into the Keysborough home’s rear garage during the afternoon, and loaded with $900 of tools including an airbrush, two power-drills and hammer.
The wagon had been stolen during a Hampton Park aggravated burglary on 16 March.
Sabitovic was also accused of stealing a truck and laptop from a steel factory in Dandenong South on 27 March.
He was also on bail over two cars – containing his finger prints – which were stolen and attempted to be stolen from a Clayton South break-in in September.
In October, a stolen Kia and a stolen Holden Statesman driven by Sabitovic were spotted cutting erratically between traffic and speeding at up to 140 km/h on the Western Ring Road near Laverton.
Sabitovic crashed after narrowly missing a truck. He fled in the Kia, while his Statesman with a stolen plate and containing loot from a commercial burglary the previous day was left at the scene.
He was arrested on 18 November after a police pursuit in Glen Waverley.
A month later, he was arrested at a Mount Waverley supermarket after stealing pretzels and wafer biscuits. He was taken to Monash Medical Centre by ambulance over health concerns.
In court on 23 May, Sabitovic said he was not guilty of a lot of the allegations, but had done some thinking while in remand custody.
“I want to be given the chance to do the mental health plan and to get treatment as part of the (community corrections order).
“I’ve been in (prison) lockdown for 22 hours a day. It’s not good for me.
“I want to give these rehab things a go. It’s not worth it anymore.”
Magistrate Barry Schultz commented that he often heard similar promises from people in Sabitovic’s position.
He noted Sabitovic had extensive prior convictions, including previous jail terms.
Mr Schultz said the accused had continued offending even after having a nine-month jail term converted to an 18-month community corrections order by the County Court in February.
“All you’re going to get from this time forward are terms of imprisonment.”
In bailing Sabitovic, Mr Schultz noted the accused had spent six weeks in custody and would be given “supports” on a CREDIT bail program.
“There’s treatment available for you and I accept the custody conditions with significant lock-down are oppressive.”
His bail conditions include daily reporting to police, night curfew, staying at a close relative’s address in Chelsea, not driving, not attending Northland and not using a drug of dependence.
