'Walking crimewave' jailed

A self-confessed drug addict described by a magistrate as a 'walking crimewave' was on Tuesday sent to jail after committing two burglaries at Naval Base on his way home from a court appearance.

Picture: Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Turner of the Peel District Crime Team with items recovered relating to various burglaries and thefts from Fremantle, Mosman Park and Rockingham

Antonio Coppola, 48, was arrested at his Perth home after carrying out the robberies at two commercial premises on Monday night.

He appeared at Rockingham Magistrates Court where he admitted two burglary and two stealing charges and one of possessing a small amount of cannabis.

Prosecuting officer Sgt Steve Wood told the court Coppola had driven up to the secure perimeter fence at FMC West in Hope Valley Road, climbed over it and stolen cigarettes, a jacket and other personal documents from a lunch room.

He then broke in at nearby Hartway Galvanisers and stole a mobile phone, ipod, and a wallet containing ID, the court was told.

Sgt Wood said Coppola was challenged by a member of staff but drove off at high speed in his Holden Commodore.

About 10.30pm, police went to his house at Stirling Highway, Mossman Park and arrested him.

They searched his car and found the cannabis and the stolen items.

At Rockingham Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Coppola was told by the magistrate that if it had been an isolated incident, the charges would not have resulted in a jail term.

However, his 25-page record of previous convictions, as well as committing the offences while on bail from the same day, led to Coppola being sentenced to a total of six months and a day in prison and fined a total of $650.

Coppola had been released on bail earlier on Monday after being charged along with a 24-year-old man with two thefts and two charges of stealing/receiving.

The charges included stealing headstone plaques and other items from a workshop at Fremantle Cemetery and personal belongings from a workman's van parked in Goddard Street, Rockingham.

Both are scheduled to appear in connection with those charges at Rockingham Magistrates Court on September 23.