Dan Murphy’s at Dickson was named as a target of the alleged thief. Photo: Burgess Rawson.
An alleged serial thief is accused of stealing almost $5000-worth of alcohol during 21 thefts from bottle shops in Canberra over four months.
An ACT Policing spokesperson alleged the man stole alcohol from stores in Dickson and Civic, later heard in court to be Dan Murphy’s and Liquorland, between October 2025 and January 2026.
“On one occasion, the man entered a store three times in one day, allegedly stealing more than $800-worth of alcohol,” the spokesperson said.
Jason Scott Dawson, a 51-year-old from Campbell, was arrested and charged with 21 counts of minor theft and one count of burglary when he faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday (22 January).
The burglary charge relates to an alleged break-in at Beer Wine Spirits at South Point Shopping Centre in Tuggeranong in December 2024.
He applied for bail and his lawyer, Sam Collett of Legal Aid, said his client had a difficult relationship with alcohol and was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
He argued that bail conditions could prevent his client from going near the stores.
The prosecutor opposed bail, saying Dawson had a history of unemployment and high alcohol dependence.
He did not have the means to buy alcohol legally, so he could offend to fuel his dependence, the prosecutor said.
Magistrate Alexandra Burt noted how the alleged burglary was of some age.
“But I am concerned that the path that Mr Dawson is on at the moment is such that it would be hard to have confidence that he will not reoffend in the community if I were to grant him bail,” she alleged.
“His alcohol use is clearly not under control, assuming these minor thefts are for personal use.”
Magistrate Burt said the alleged thefts were low-level offending on one view, but also said if the alleged incidents and his alcohol use continued, there were risks of other types of offending.
She refused bail and adjourned the matter to 12 February.
Dawson was visibly upset when he heard he would be refused bail. When custodial officers led him out of the courtroom, he could be heard shouting, “F-ing hell, f-ing hell, man”
No pleas were entered.
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