Tin money returned

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
A WOMAN who stole Black Saturday charity tins from stores in Emerald and Healesville has paid back $3000 to replace the cash and goods she stole, a court has heard.
Emma Volpi of Healesville appeared at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on Monday 4 October for her progress to be assessed after she pleaded guilty to theft in April.
She began paying back cash for the money and goods she had stolen and her second hearing in July was suspended for reports to be compiled into her mental and physical health.
She was told to return to court in October again to be assessed by the magistrate.
At the latest hearing defence lawyer Michael Challinger said Volpi had finished paying for what she had taken.
Magistrate Leon Brears said he was satisfied with Volpi’s progress and was willing to give her “the benefit of the doubt”.
At the April hearing she pleaded guilty 24 charges of theft at the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court, including stealing a CFA charity tin containing $320 from Emerald Cellarbrations on 18 February 2009, less than two weeks after Black Saturday, and a tin containing $260 from Healesville Bakers Delight on 22 February.
At a hearing in July the court heard that Volpi had suffered from Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder as a child and was medicated until the age of 20 when her medication was withdrawn.
Mr Challinger said the offences had occurred while she was untreated and undiagnosed.
The court heard that along with co-accused Belinda Ronaldson, who in July was sentenced to 12 months in prison and a non-parole period of six months, Volpi had stolen liquor from bottle shops and supermarkets throughout the outer east.
Her targets included Selby General Store, from which she stole eight bottles of spirits, Safeway Ferntree Gully, Ferntree Gully Cellars, Coldstream IGA and Coles at Healesville.
Magistrate Brear said the reports showed Volpi was vulnerable to being influenced by other people, particularly Ronaldson.
“She went with Belinda Ronaldson for her company, she thought she was supporting her but it was Emma’s pathological desire for acceptance,” he said.
“Emma knows she must accept responsibility and she knows the choices were hers.”
Magistrate Brears said Volpi will be subject to a concurrent community based order for 88 days from 4 October and a 12 month supervision for good behaviour order.