A serial thief’s attempt to profit from a $18,500 haul of stolen goods from Wangaratta was foiled when the getaway truck, driven by a co-accused, was intercepted by police right outside his own Wallan home, only to crash into a fence moments later.

The 35-year-old Wallan man appeared from custody at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Thursday pleading guilty to attempting to handle stolen goods.

The court heard about 4:30am on 25 March last year Jabek Transport Services reported a burglary at its Hay Avenue, Wangaratta business site.

A crime scene was established by police with detectives finding shoe impressions on cardboard boxes left at the site.

Later that morning about 8:20am police stationed 200km away at Wallan detected the stolen Mitsubishi freight truck via registration plate recognition technology.

Officers noted the driver looked half asleep behind the wheel.

The truck pulled over opposite the Wallan man’s address on the same street as police approached.

As the driver saw police, the truck drove back onto the road and started erratically speeding away from police as they pursued.

After losing the truck, officers would receive a call a short time later saying the truck had crashed into a fence and taken down power lines.

The driver was not present as police arrived at the scene.

The truck contained $18,500 worth of an assortment of items from medical supplies, trade supplies, bicycle parts, online orders and pet supplies.

On 25 April last year police executed a warrant at the defendant's address with phone messages indicating the man’s involvement in organising the burglary with a 35-year-old co-accused, who is alleged to have been the driver who burgled the Wangaratta business.

Police believed the Wallan man intended to sell the assortment of items in the truck for his own financial gain.

Defence counsel Steve Parker said his client had been in custody since 14 December last year for a string of burglaries of “substantially” higher value currently before the County Court.

He had also received a six-month jail term on 9 April this year for similar offending.

Mr Parker said his client had been diagnosed with an anti-personality disorder and had a low IQ of 83.

The matter had been before the court on numerous occasions, with the defendant initially intending to contest the charge until a plea deal was struck.

Magistrate Peter Dunn handed down a 45-day prison sentence, which was similar to a prior sentence the defendant received in 2022.

His co-accused and alleged driver of the truck also faced court from outside of custody and will return to Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court at a later date.