A Mandurah mother’s “callous burglary” that involved stealing several war medals and badges, was condemned by Magistrate Robert Young on Tuesday.
Renae Patricia Stronach (47) pleaded guilty to 17 charges in the Mandurah Magistrates Court, including committing two home burglaries, stealing jewellery and electronics, and using stolen bank cards.
Police prosecutor Mick Fallows told the court Stronach stole $2000 worth of items during a home burglary in April 2017, including war badges and medals belonging to the victim’s late father.
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“They had enormous sentimental value for the victim,” he said.
Mr Fallows said the medals were not returned and the victim did not have insurance.
Magistrate Young told the court the medal theft was an “aggravating feature” of the offences.
He asked Stronach why they were taken in the first place, doubting the items had currency on the “black market”.
However, Stronach, who appeared via video link from prison, said she did not remember the offences occurring over a 10-month period from April 13, 2017 to February 15, 2018.
Mr Young said burgling a home was “deliberate and conscious”, and Stronach was side-stepping difficult questions by saying she could not recall the events.
Stronach’s lawyer told the court the mother-of-four had a difficult upbringing and her life was “spiralling out of control” at the time of the offences.
Mr Fallows said Stronach had previously spent 19 months in jail for similar offending.
Stronach was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months prison, backdated to February 23, 2018, and was made eligible for parole.