A man who stole from Bunnings twice in five months said he did it to “get drugs”.

Dale Volarich, of Shepparton, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to two counts of stealing from a shop.

The court heard Volarich was aged 32 when he stole a chainsaw from Shepparton’s Bunnings about 4.20pm on April 27.

Police found the chainsaw, worth about $600, in the shed at Volarich’s Shepparton property when they searched it.

The court heard Volarich again stole from the same Bunnings store, when he left with a hot-spot wi-fi link without paying for it on September 21.

When police arrested him, he told them he stole it “so I could get drugs”.

Representing himself in court, Volarich said the thefts started because there was a “guy from my past” he owed $5000 to and the man had told him to go and get a chainsaw to help repay the debt.

“It snowballed from there,” Volarich said.

He told the court he had sought help for his drug problem and was now working.

Volarich was fined $600.

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Saturday, 19th July 2025

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