Pregnant mum allegedly involved in $20,000 real estate agency burglary

A young mother was more than three months pregnant when she was allegedly involved in a burglary at a real estate agency in Braddon earlier this week, during which $20,000-worth of items were stolen.

Lateffa Alice Williams, a 26-year-old from Turner, was handed one count of aggravated burglary when she faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday (27 February).

ACT Policing allege that on Wednesday morning (26 February), she used tools to pry two secured lockboxes off the front entrance of Carter + Co on Northbourne Avenue, which contained a swipe card to the building.

It is alleged she left but soon returned with a man and a woman, who used the swipe card to enter the building.

The trio allegedly ransacked rooms and stole numerous keys to properties as well as laptops, an iPad, cameras and wallets.

Later, the court heard the items were valued at $20,000.

Police received reports of the burglary and arrived at the real estate agency that morning.

“Utilising CCTV footage and location data from a laptop that was allegedly stolen during the burglary, police attended the 26-year-old’s residence in Turner yesterday morning,” an ACT Policing spokesperson said on Thursday.

Police allegedly found most of the stolen items and arrested Williams.

She applied for bail but had to demonstrate that unique or exceptional circumstances existed in her case as she already faced charges from unrelated allegations.

Her Legal Aid lawyer said she has two daughters, was 16 weeks pregnant and helped to care for her grandfather, who has health problems.

However, the prosecutor argued that special or exceptional circumstances did not exist and Magistrate Robert Cook ultimately agreed.

He said the risks of Williams being released on bail were too high and refused it, remanding her in custody to 3 March for a plea to be entered.

Police said they are continuing to investigate the identities of the man and the second woman alleged to be involved in the burglary.

If you have information about their identities, contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or via the Crime Stoppers ACT website. Quote reference number 7984259.