Alleged robber in $14,000 Angus & Coote theft refused bail

A woman accused of being part of a near-$14,000 jewellery robbery from a south Canberra store has been refused bail, despite claims her tattoo could shed doubt on the allegations she was involved.

A $9000 necklace and a $4500 pendant, both nine-carat gold, were allegedly stolen from Angus & Coote in Tuggeranong late in the afternoon of 9 January, 2023, police have already claimed.

It was alleged in court that 31-year-old Victoria Brincau and her 30-year-old co-defendant allegedly went into the store where Brincau tried on the necklace and pendant before running away without paying for them.

Staff took off after the alleged pair, but the co-defendant allegedly pushed one, and they ran away through South.Point Shopping Centre.

The pair allegedly got into a BMW parked outside, where the co-defendant allegedly tried to threaten and intimidate a worker who followed them, before leaving.

Police claimed they recognised Brincau and her co-defendant from viewing closed-circuit television footage (CCTV) from the store and raided the former’s home in Monash.

When they did, they allegedly found a wig and shorts matching the appearance of those worn by one of the jewellery store’s robbers.

Brincau was arrested on Sunday (15 January) after officers allegedly spotted her trying to sneak through a broken fence in the backyard of a home in Monash.

She denied knowing about the robbery when they spoke to her.

She was charged with aggravated robbery, as well as other charges, when she appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court the next day (16 January) and applied to be granted bail.

Her Legal Aid lawyer, Sam Brown, argued the prosecution case was weak.

He asked his client to show the courtroom a tattoo of writing that ran along her right forearm before playing CCTV from the store and argued the person in the footage did not have the same tattoo.

However, Magistrate Beth Campbell said the footage wasn’t good enough for her to say it was not Brincau in the store as she could not see the relevant part of the person’s arm.

She also said police had seized the wig and shorts from Brincau’s home, items said to be similar to what the store’s robber had worn, “which seems to be an extraordinary coincidence”.

“I’m not sure the prosecution case is as weak as you’ve argued,” she told Mr Brown.

The magistrate did say it “behoves” the prosecution “to make sure you do have the right woman”.

Brincau had to prove special or exceptional circumstances existed for her to be granted bail as she has already been charged over unrelated matters.

Magistrate Campbell found no such circumstances existed, refused bail and remanded Brincau in custody to 6 February. No pleas were entered to the fresh charges.

The co-defendant, from Chisholm, has also been arrested, but has not been named as it was not immediately clear at what stage her charges are up to.