A man stole $50,000 of jewellery and caused $10,000 of property damage to a Cobram jewellery store.
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Jesse Wells, 20, of Tallygaroopna, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to 48 charges, including reckless conduct endangering serious injury, driving dangerously while being pursued by police, two counts of burglary, damaging property, attempted burglary, four counts of theft and unlicensed driving.
Prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Braden Wright said Wells committed these offences in Shepparton, Mooroopna, Kialla, Numurkah, Cobram, Yarrawonga and Lemnos on July 22 and 23, 2024.
Wells stole a Mazda ute from a walnut farm in Lemnos on July 22 or 23, and a Toyota HiLux tray ute and a Peerless air compressor from a Yarrawonga property on July 23.
He did $6000 property damage to Artavilla Emporium’s shopfront window in Cobram trying to break into the store at about 2.40am on July 23.
Wells and two co-accused did $8000 property damage by smashing the shopfront windows and doors at Sportfirst, Numurkah, and stole $3800.99 of sportswear and clothing at about 5.17am on July 23.
Later, he almost had a head-on collision with another car while driving the stolen Mazda in Mooroopna.
Wells was driving on the wrong side of the road and ignoring red traffic lights at a Mooroopna intersection before driving on to the Peter Ross-Edwards Causeway towards Shepparton.
He then drove into oncoming traffic, turning from Kialla Lakes Dve on to Archer Rd, Kialla at about 11am.
He didn’t stop after police flashed their lights, and recorded a video of himself driving at 120km/h with police behind him.
Wells also pleaded guilty to burglary, theft and destroying property after he and two co-accused stole $50,000 of jewellery from Roberts Jewellers, Cobram, on November 29, 2024.
He caused $10,000 property damage by smashing the glass front door, counters and display cabinets with a sledgehammer.
Wells also pleaded guilty to arson, two counts of vehicle theft and driving while disqualified after he was a passenger in a Toyota HiLux, which had been stolen from Sydney, in Shepparton on February 3 and 4, 2024.
He also stole a Mitsubishi Triton from Fred’s Interstate Transport in Orrvale at 3.35am on February 4 before driving to Mooroopna Secondary College.
He lit the Triton on fire after rolling it in Mooroopna.
Wells pleaded guilty to burglary, theft and damaging property after stealing about $30,000 of cigarettes and tobacco pouches, and $2120 cash, from Numurkah Discounts on June 19, 2024.
Wells and a co-accused smashed the store’s front door and cabinet behind the counter containing the tobacco products.
He also pleaded guilty to burglary and possessing methamphetamines after he and a co-accused smashed a display case at Roly’s Mobiles in Shepparton on August 21, 2024.
They stole three phones valued at $1051.37 and a $423.02 watch.
Police found a 1.42g bag of methamphetamines at a Shepparton property where Wells was arrested the next day.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm while being a prohibited person in Shepparton on August 28, 2024.
Wells pleaded guilty to assault, burglary and theft after he and two co-accused stole a security safe containing commemorative coins from a Wangaratta home on November 11, 2024.
Wells and his two co-accused also stole items including jewellery, watches, an iPad, a CCTV drive, international currency and handbags, valued at $5000.
One of them threw a metal coin box at the homeowner’s son’s head before fleeing.
Wells pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled weapon, assault and two counts of damaging property after grabbing a woman by her jumper and wrist and spitting in her face on a West Wodonga street on June 7, 2024.
He then climbed on to and stomped on the front and back windows and roof of a Mitsubishi Lancer, before kicking a house’s front door hard enough for the door frame to break away while holding a large machete.
Wells also pleaded guilty to seven counts of burglary and five counts of theft after breaking into laundromats in Shepparton, Benalla, Mansfield, Wodonga and Bandiana from October 26 to November 28, 2024.
Wells stole $10,000 cash, an iPhone, a banjo and two socket sets valued at $3889 from a laundromat in Bandiana, near Wodonga, on November 24.
He also stole $2000 of coins from Benalla Laundromat on October 26, $1500 of coins from Mansfield Laundromat on November 4, and $1000 of coins from a Wodonga laundromat on November 28.
After stealing from the Wodonga laundromat, Wells broke into a Wodonga restaurant located next door and stole a laptop, tool bag and various tools valued at $1000.
Wells pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing cannabis after police found a large double-edged sword and a small amount of the drug when executing a search warrant in Wodonga on December 4, 2024.
He also pleaded guilty to theft and driving while disqualified after driving into the Goulburn Valley Health car park in Shepparton and stealing a number plate from a Hyundai i30 on February 25, 2024.
Wells will be sentenced later in February.