A recidivist criminal has admitted stealing $3000 worth of e-scooters, including a child's Christmas present.
William Shane Bushell, 32, pleaded guilty in the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday to two counts of minor theft.
The fencing contractor, of Reid, also admitted possessing an offensive weapon and possessing ammunition without authorisation.
Court documents show Bushell stole the first e-scooter, which belonged to a boy, on January 3.
The child, who had received it as a gift about a week earlier, had chained his prized $1400 possession to a bike rack outside the Dickson McDonald's.
But the lock proved no match for Bushell, who broke it with boltcutters before riding off on the e-scooter.
Police caught up with Bushell a month later, when officers saw him riding the stolen scooter in City Walk.
The 32-year-old denied any wrongdoing at the time, telling police he had bought it from "a mate".
However, he was also carrying items that included boltcutters and 52 rounds of .22 calibre ammunition.
Bushell was up to no good again within a week, this time taking trouble to Centrelink in Phillip.
Court documents show he refused to leave the government agency's offices while holding a pair of scissors.
Police officers called to the scene also spotted the handle of a knife protruding from his right pocket, while a search of a bag tied to Bushell's wrist turned up a one-metre pole with a sharp metal pin.
Bushell's offending did not end there, with a second e-scooter theft taking place on March 4.
On that date, CCTV cameras captured the 32-year-old freeing a $1599 model from a secure rack outside a convenience store in Civic.
Bushell is further accused of breaking into a Commonwealth Bank ATM in Civic with Curtis James Clements, 43, in the early hours of June 10.
He previously claimed police were "deliberately stitching me up" and, on Monday, pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated burglary and unlawful possession of stolen property.
The latter charge related to multiple bank and ID cards allegedly found on him when he was most recently arrested.
After spending the last two weeks behind bars, Bushell successfully applied for bail on Monday.
Special magistrate Sean Richter imposed what he described as "pretty tough" conditions, listing Bushell's case to return to court in September.
"Thank you, your honour, and all the best for your future endeavours," Bushell said as he left court.
