A man has been sentenced for a six-month crime spree across the Goulburn Valley from July 2024 to January 2025.

Ethan Jones, 31, of Katandra, pleaded guilty in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court to more than 80 charges, including reckless conduct endangering life, dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime, going equipped to steal and failing to stop for police.

According to court documents, Jones drove a stolen car “erratically” at more than 100km/h through Shepparton.

He ran a red light at the intersection of Balaclava and Verney Rds, narrowly avoiding a high-impact collision, before dumping the car in Kialla bushland and fleeing on foot.

In a different incident, Jones crashed his ute into barriers on the Goulburn Valley Hwy, leading to charges of careless driving, vehicle theft, obtaining property by deception and possessing a schedule four poison.

He walked to Seymour and stole a ute, using a bank card found inside to buy $89.90 of items at a Kialla petrol station.

When arrested, police found him with antipsychotic medication.

Jones was also charged with possessing a controlled weapon and methamphetamines, and failing to stop for police after driving a stolen car with false plates in Shepparton.

Police found the drugs and a knife when arresting him.

Targeting vehicles, Jones was charged with five counts of vehicle theft and obtaining property by deception after stealing five cars in Kialla, Mooroopna, Shepparton and Colbinabbin, using a bank card from one to spend $136.06.

Targeting fuel, he also faced five charges of theft, two of handling stolen goods and using a vehicle with incorrect number plates after stealing a combined $412.99 of fuel from petrol stations in Mooroopna, Shepparton and Seymour.

He was also charged with burglary and two counts of theft after stealing from a Byrneside and Kialla petrol station, which he also broke into.

Retail theft charges included eight counts of theft after stealing $2333.59 of items from Bunnings, Rebel Sport and Coles in Shepparton; Total Tools and Big W in Echuca; and ALDI in Yarrawonga.

He was also charged with three counts of theft after stealing parcels from Kialla properties and items from a car in Toolamba.

He stole a bank card from the car, which he used to get out $301.80, leading to an additional charge of obtaining property by deception.

He was also charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of theft after breaking into Avonlea Flowers in Murchison North twice, stealing at least $1200 and customer bank card details across both visits, and $50 of flowers the second time.

He was also charged with burglary, theft and attempted burglary after breaking into the Wunghnu Bowls Club, stealing a $2176 laptop, and trying to break into the Wunghnu Café four days later.

He was also charged with two counts of attempted burglary and theft after trying to break into KidsTown twice in January, using stolen keys to steal coins from a tip box during the second attempt.

Jones was also charged with theft and six counts of dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime after police found him with stolen items on three separate occasions.

He was charged with attempting to commit an indictable offence and intentionally damaging property after causing $3567.30 damage to a Tatura jewellery store while trying to break in.

He was charged with two counts of attempting to commit an indictable offence after trying to break into Kyabram and Stanhope businesses.

He was charged with going equipped to steal and possessing a controlled weapon and methamphetamines after police found the drugs among axes, a pocket knife and burglary tools in his ute in Shepparton.

He was also charged with attempting to commit an indictable offence, and possessing an unregistered firearm as a prohibited person, a prohibited weapon and a controlled weapon after police found a sawn-off shotgun, knuckle dusters and a hunting knife while arresting him for another incident.

He was charged with assault, making a threat to kill and attempting to obtain property by deception following knife and death threat incidents at Melbourne shopping centres.

Driving charges included failing to wear a seatbelt, two counts of speeding on the Hume Fwy and Princes Hwy, refusing an oral fluid sample in Echuca, and five counts of driving while suspended.

In sentencing Jones to 12 months in prison, magistrate Ian Watkins told Jones he was “lucky to be here” and not involved in a more serious accident.

Jones’ pre-sentence detention of 36 days will count as time already served.

He was also fined $1000, and his licence was cancelled for two years.

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Friday, 23rd April 2027

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