'Onesie' thief Cory Milgate jailed over post office robbery
A Wollongong teen serial thief, who wore a"onesie" to an early-hours burglary at a post office, has been jailed and ordered to pay thousands of dollars in compensation to the business and others.
Cory James Milgate was caught on camera as he climbed over the post office counter on August 29, looting the shop of jewellery and other goods.
He was identified and charged with multiple robberies after police issued a public appeal for information.
Milgate, 19, pleaded guilty to break-ins at the Tarrawanna Post Office and at Ruby's Cafe in Bulli, Balgownie Mini-Mart and Bulli Beach Cafe.
On Tuesday, magistrate Roger Clisdell ordered him to serve up to 15 months behind bars, with a non-parole period of five months.
He must repay $515 to Bulli Beach Cafe, $1185 to Ruby's and $4615 to the post office.
He was also placed on an 18-month community corrections order for other crimes of dishonesty, and ordered to pay more than $500 to a man over a string of dishonestly obtain property by deception offences.
He will be eligible for parole on June 3.
Milgate is also accused of robbing an RSL club at Coledale, north of Wollongong, on December 10.
Police say CCTV footage showed a person in a hooded jacket approaching at 11.49pm, shortly before an electrical switch on the side of the building was flicked, disconnecting the power supply. The footage showed a person wearing yellow gloves trying to get in.
The intruder pocketed $580 in coins from the tills and tip jar, and a Labrador-shaped money box full of donations for Guide Dogs Australia.
Passers-by later found items including the tills and money box dumped on the village's foreshore.
Police allege Milgate's DNA was on a pair of yellow washing-up gloves that were among the discarded items.
Milgate has denied any involvement in the break-in.
He was on bail on the prior charges when he was arrested at his grandmother's Wollongong home on January 4.
As officers helped him into a caged police vehicle, he allegedly told them: "Come back and see me later. I'll get bail again. You're wasting your time. I always get bail, I'll be out in two hours."
Police successfully opposed bail, saying it had not stopped him from committing further offences.