Zhanee Anne Nora Cameron-Martin has been granted bail over an alleged burglary. Photo: Albert McKnight.
A wannabee rubbish tip worker was allegedly caught “red-handed” after she had stolen jewellery and Home Affairs-issued electronic devices from a family’s home.
Zhanee Anne Nora Cameron-Martin, 27, has been charged with burglary and attempting to take a motor vehicle without consent over the alleged incident on Saturday (20 January).
A woman had left her home with her husband and children several days earlier, locking up before they went, court documents say.
When her son returned on the afternoon of 20 January, he allegedly arrived to find Ms Cameron-Martin sitting in the driver’s seat of his mother’s car with its engine turned on.
He asked her who she was and why she was there, and she allegedly replied that her father had asked her to be there but refused to explain who her father was.
She allegedly got out of the car, opened its boot then picked up three bags before walking off.
The son saw the bags allegedly contained laptops. When he went inside his home, he found someone had gone into several rooms and drawers, cupboards and other storage areas had been left open.
Several items had been stolen, including a phone and a laptop that had been issued to the woman from the Department of Home Affairs, as well as gold and diamond jewellery.
That evening, police were on patrol when they spotted Ms Cameron-Martin and arrested her. When she was searched, police allegedly found a phone with a Home Affairs identification barcode on it, as well as jewellery.
Zhanee Anne Nora Cameron-Martin did not enter pleas to her charges on Monday. Photo: Albert McKnight.
Cameron-Martin applied for bail in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday, which was opposed by the prosecution.
Her lawyer, Legal Aid’s Sarah Higgs, said she was in the process of getting a job at a rubbish tip and had two children.
Prosecutor Harry Wagner said she had allegedly broken into a private home and taken items, then when the son returned, she was seemingly unperturbed by the fact she had been caught “red-handed” and took the bags with the family’s items before leaving.
But Magistrate Glenn Theakston said he would grant bail as he thought conditions could address the risk of reoffending.
“You should be aware if you are seen to breach these bail conditions and/or seen to re-offend, the court will have grave concerns about releasing you,” he told her.
Her bail conditions include living in Gordon, reporting to a police station twice a week and not being in the suburb of the family’s home.
The matter was adjourned to 12 February. No pleas were entered.
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