Man stole spirits worth more than $2k by slipping bottles down his trousers

Jordan James Cannon-Barron, 26, pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing in the Launceston Magistrates Court on June 26, 2024 after shoplifting more than $2000 worth of liquor.

Police prosecutor Jack Fawdry told the court the offences happened between May 3 and May 11.

On four separate occasions, the Legana man was filmed on CCTV in the spirits section of Dan Murphy's on Bathurst Street.

Each time, Cannon-Barron took bottles of liquor, mostly whiskey but on one occasion he also took a bottle of Fire and Ice Gold Flakes vodka, and stashed them "down his pants" before leaving the shop without paying.

The court heard on two of the occasions he also selected bottles of wine from the store shelves, but paid for them.

Mr Fawdry said Cannon-Barron later attended a police station of his own accord, and told officers he stole because, despite his full-time employment, "times were tough at the moment".

Cannon-Barron said he sold all but one of the bottles, and brought the remaining bottle with him to the police station so it could be returned to the store describing the theft as a "stupid thing to do".

Defence lawyer Abby Zizek said Cannon-Brooks had been "surprised by the cost" of the stolen liquor, and sold the bottles to pay for his vehicle registration.

Magistrate Simon Brown said it seemed Dan Murphy's was "one of the most shoplifted places in the known world", and said the value of stolen spirits far outweighed the cost of any vehicle registration.

"I note that exceeds the cost of registration by a significant amount," Mr Brown said.

"Most people in your situation don't revert to shoplifting habitually, like you did."

Mr Brown ordered Cannon-Barron compensate Dan Murphy's for the stolen alcohol, and fined him $1500.