Man accused of leaving pickaxe on child's bed during alleged burglary

A 20-year-old man has been remanded in custody after being accused of stealing more than $50,000 worth of tools and jewellery while armed with a pickaxe.

Bronson Cross was arrested in Karabar on Thursday (26 October) in relation to multiple alleged burglaries and car thefts in Canberra.

Police said a Nicholls home was burgled on 16 October and a BMW was taken from the residence. This vehicle was found abandoned later that day after the driver was allegedly involved in police pursuits in NSW.

CCTV in the area where the car was found allegedly showed the driver getting into a Subaru WRX that had also been reported stolen following a burglary in Denman Prospect on 14 October.

A Weston home was burgled in the early hours of 18 October, where jewellery and tools worth more than $50,000 were taken over the course of two hours.

Police said CCTV from the home had provided a “clear image of the man responsible”, which is alleged to have been Mr Cross.

He faced Queanbeyan Local Court on Thursday, where his extradition to the ACT was granted.

Mr Cross is facing charges including aggravated burglary, intent to commit theft, driving a motor vehicle without consent and theft.

Mr Cross’s legal representative applied for his bail in the Magistrates Court on Friday (27 October).

The defence argued Mr Cross was due to start a scaffolding job offered by his brother the coming Monday, and that his grandmother was reliant on Mr Cross for transportation as she could not drive.

The prosecution opposed bail, arguing there was a likelihood of reoffending and that Mr Cross was a danger to others, claiming the accused had arrived at the Weston burglary wearing a face mask and armed with a pickaxe.

“[That complainant] found that pickaxe lying on his daughter’s bed,” he said.

“My concern is that he [allegedly] targets individuals in the community at random.”

Special Magistrate Sean Richter expressed his concern over granting bail, noting Mr Cross had been subject to a community corrections order at the time of the alleged offending and questioned his commitment to abiding by bail conditions or looking after his grandmother.

“[The Weston] offences are alleged to have occurred at 12:22 in the morning,” he said.

“He clearly wasn’t looking after his grandmother at 12:22 in the morning … his grandmother clearly has no control over him.”

Special Magistrate Richter also questioned how Mr Cross had managed to find a job that was due to begin so soon after his arrest.

“It’s convenient that a job has been offered now … it’s like a miracle has happened,” he said.

“What’s he been doing since August last year, job-wise?”

Special Magistrate Richter denied Mr Cross bail, with his case to return to court again on 16 November.

Police said subsequent search warrants in Karabar and Oaks Estate had resulted in the discovery of jewellery allegedly taken from the Weston home.

“A significant volume of power and other tools were not recovered and police believe these may have been sold or traded by the [accused],” an ACT Policing statement said.

“The majority of the power tools were Milwaukee brand and included an engraving of a mobile phone number ending in 580 or the company name WR Engineering.”

Anyone who knows where the tools might have been urged to contact police, quoting reference 7567514.

ACT Policing has reminded Canberrans that it is a criminal offence to be in possession of stolen goods.