Alec Robert Kinder, now aged 27, was sentenced by the ACT Supreme Court last week. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Nearly $20,000 worth of belongings were stolen during the ransacking of a north Canberra home over a drug debt, but one burglar managed to leave something important of his own behind: his mobile phone.
Alec Robert Kinder, then aged 26, went into the house with another man around midday in October 2024 when no one was home, the ACT’s Justice Verity McWilliam wrote in her decision from last week.
The pair ransacked the place and stole property worth between $11,000 and $18,000, including jewellery, a computer, clothing, shoes, watches, a video game console and alcohol.
But Kinder, who was affected by drugs at the time, managed to leave his phone behind at the property. Police found the evidence indicated the burglary had been pre-planned and was over a drug debt.
“Some of the property taken was recovered following the offender’s arrest, but many items were not,” Justice McWilliam said.
“For each of the victims, there were items taken (for example, gifts from friends from overseas countries, pairs of shoes, an international passport, photo cards in the cameras that were taken) which had either sentimental value or were difficult and, in some cases, impossible to replace.”
Two of the victims spoke to the court about how they no longer felt safe in their own home, of the psychological impact the burglary had on them and their distress at the loss of items that had particular sentimental value.
“As one of the victims expressed, it is not just about the belongings taken. It is about the memories that attach to them,” Justice McWilliam said.
“It is about the feeling of inner safety that is lost when personal private space is violated.”
She said a shiv-style knife had also been left behind at the home, but it was unclear who possessed it or what knowledge Kinder had of it.
The now-27-year-old pleaded guilty to single counts of burglary and unlawful possession of stolen property, as well as two counts of minor theft, before facing the ACT Supreme Court for sentencing.
He was arrested two days after the burglary and remained behind bars for about 11 months after his arrest.
Justice McWilliam said Kinder, who used to work in the construction industry, appeared to have had an uneventful childhood with good relationships with his family and no diagnosed mental health conditions.
She said he started using drugs when he was 15 and has, at times, used methamphetamine daily.
When coming to a sentence, the judge thought it was important to give him the opportunity to manage his drug addiction.
He was sentenced to one year and 11 months’ jail, backdated to account for time served.
The remainder was then suspended when he was released from custody last week to complete a one-year Drug and Alcohol Treatment Order, which is a community-based sentence focused on drug rehabilitation.
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