Gun safe was allegedly cut from floor with power tools and stolen, court hears

Mar 23, 2022

Bail application: A man accused of stealing a gun safe from a Shepparton house has been refused bail in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court. Photo by Rodney Braithwaite

A man accused of stealing a gun safe containing four guns from a Shepparton house has been refused bail.

Shaun Bourke, 31, of Shepparton unsuccessfully applied for bail in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court.

He is charged with burglary, theft of guns, possessing a traffickable amount of firearms, two counts of possessing a firearm while a prohibited person, theft, and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

Police informant Detective Senior Constable Simon Bingham of Shepparton Crime Investigation Unit told the court Mr Bourke and a co-accused man stole a gun safe from a Shepparton house late on August 28, 2021, or in the early hours of August 29, 2021.

Police allege the pair used power tools to cut the safe from the wall and floor and take it.

Inside were four guns — a .308 Ruger Scout rifle, a Brno CZ 9mm handgun, a .45 calibre 410 gauge Taurus/Rossi Circuit Judge carbine and a Crosman air rifle — as well as a machete, knife and ammunition.

The victim also said items including shooting goggles, earmuffs and the spare keys to a ute and motorbike were also missing, the court heard.

Det Sen Constable Bingham told the court Mr Bourke and his co-accused took the safe to a third man’s Shepparton house where the three men cut the safe open and removed the guns.

Mr Bourke and one of the co-accused men then left with the guns.

Mr Bourke’s solicitor Anthony Coote argued there were a number of reasons that could be used in combination for his client to be granted bail.

Mr Coote said Mr Bourke could live with his mother, had a prospect of employment, there was likely to be long delays in the matter going to trial and there was no forensic evidence that put him at the scene of the theft of the safe.

Prosecutor Peter Pickering, however, argued that while it was a circumstantial case regarding the theft of the case itself, there was “overwhelming” evidence of his involvement from a co-offender.

Mr Pickering also said Mr Bourke had a “terrible criminal history” and that he did not comply with court orders and directions of police.

“The risk is if he gets out, he gets on the gear (drugs) again and goes out and commits more offences,” Mr Pickering said.

Magistrate Ian Watkins refused bail, saying there was an unacceptable risk of Mr Bourke reoffending.