mmg.com.au

A burglar who targeted the district’s businesses has been sentenced to jail.

Tyler James Johnson, 19, pleaded guilty to multiple charges at an early mentions hearing in Shepparton on Monday.

Mr Johnson was responsible for burglaries in Cobram, Numurkah, Stanhope, Tatura and Strathmerton over a three-month period.

Cobram Criminal Investigations Unit Detective Sergeant Marcus Boyd said it was a welcome result.

‘‘It’s a good result for the community,’’ Det Sgt Boyd said. ‘‘Police are still making further inquiries into the thefts Johnson was involved in, particuarly in relation to recovering stolen property.’’

Johnson was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail with a 14-month, non-parole period.

Mr Johnson had reportedly been on the run since January and breached stringent parole conditions in NSW.

NSW Police last week released an image of the teenager to the public in an attempt to find him.

He was arrested in Pine St on Thursday after police received a tip-off and remanded him in custody.

Mr Johnson was charged with one count of aggravated burglary, five counts burglary, one count of attempted burglary, false imprisonment and multiple counts of theft. The burglaries happened at businesses in Cobram, Numurkah, Stanhope, Tatura and Strathmerton between December 16 and February 14.

In his biggest reported heist on January 23, Mr Johnson stole seven chainsaws and two motorbikes to the value of $17000 from Millers, Mowers and Motorcycles in Cobram. He was also charged with stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of alcohol and cigarettes from IGA supermarkets in Numurkah, Tatura and Stanhope.

In the Tatura incident, police charged Mr Johnson with aggravated burglary after he threatened a cleaner on the premises before escaping with goods worth $3000.

Mr Johnson was also charged with stealing cigarettes and mobile phones worth more than $2000 from the Caltex service station in Strathmerton.

On February 12, he reportedly stole a Suzuki motorcycle in Bendigo which was later found dumped in Mooroopna.

Det Sgt Boyd said Mr Johnson was also charged with attempted burglary at a Numurkah car wash.

‘‘It’s a significant result bearing in mind what’s been going on in town,’’ Det Sgt Boyd said.

Mr Johnson is likely to face an extradition hearing upon his release from jail to face charges in NSW.

Cobram police announced earlier this month that they were regularly executing search warrants on the homes of alleged offenders and their associates after a series of break-ins and thefts from Cobram businesses.

Along with using plain-clothed detectives, Cobram police are still working with detectives from Shepparton and Wangaratta CIUs to gather and share information on crimes.

‘‘We are starting to have an impact and we will continue to keep the pressure on for as long as it takes,’’ Det Sgt Boyd said.

Det Sgt Boyd said business owners and residents should still be vigilant when it came to security.

‘‘Secure your premises, cash and valuables — do not keep large sums of money on the premises,’’ he said.

‘‘Home owners should be aware of locking their homes and vehicles at all times — do not keep valuable items in your cars. If you see a crime being committed, call Triple 0 immediately.’’

Det Sgt Boyd said police were making inquiries into other burglaries and urged people to come forward with any information.

●If you know anything about crimes committed against businesses in Cobram or surrounding areas, phone Cobram police on 58711977 or Crime Stoppers on 1800333000.