A Warilla man has admitted to breaking into a Barrack Heights home and stealing items including a PlayStation while a woman was asleep, after CCTV installed at the house caught him red-handed.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Dale McWatters, 27, appeared before Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday via video link from jail, where he pleaded guilty to aggravated break, enter and commit a serious indictable offence.
Documents tendered to court revealed McWatters, the brother of murdered Warilla teen Jye McWatters, and alleged male co-accused Timmothy Collins along with two other alleged female co-accused Tracey Butler and Melissa Butler approached a woman's home on Messenger Road, Barrack Heights in the early hours of April 13 this year.
The owner was not at home, but a friend of hers was asleep in a bedroom at the time when the group broke through the front door.
CCTV caught McWatters' movements and revealed him walking into the bedroom where the woman was asleep, and then indicating to his alleged co-offenders to be quiet by putting a finger to his mouth.
McWatters rummaged around, scattering the contents of the bedroom drawers and handbag around the house.
The group stole a PlayStation 4, a power drill, the woman's purse which contained cards, and a watch.
Shortly after, the homeowner received an alert that people were in her house from the security camera program on her phone.
She accessed the footage and identified the the group members because she had recently been in contact with them.
About half an hour later, the woman returned to her house to allegedly find the door ajar and she called the police. Her friend was still asleep.
The woman called another friend to come stay with her until police arrived shortly after 6am.
About 11am that morning, police were granted permission to attend McWatters' Warilla unit and found him in the backyard, before he jumped over a fence.
He was arrested after a short foot chase, where he was also found with a butterfly knife in his bumbag.
McWatters will front Wollongong District Court on December 2, where he will find out his date for sentence.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Illawarra Mercury website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
