A 22-year-old apprentice mechanic from Lockridge, Adrian Lamonica-Miraglio, has been found guilty of stealing after picking up $200 from the Burswood Casino floor in Perth.
He was convicted today by Magistrate Wayne Tarr, fined $500, and given a spent conviction order, despite contesting the stealing charge.
On March 27 at around 8:30 pm, the apprentice refrigeration mechanic was socializing with friends at one of the casino bars when he spotted the cash, picked it up, and placed it into his pocket.
He claimed that he did not attempt to spend the money and returned it when approached by casino security staff.
After being interrogated for three hours in a holding cell, the police arrived and charged him.
As a result of his actions, Lamonica-Miraglio has been issued a life ban from Burswood Casino.
During the one-day trial at the Perth Magistrate’s Court, Garret Thiele, a 26-year-old electrician, testified that he had lost $200 from his pocket that night.
Thiele reported that he arrived at the casino around 7 pm for dinner, followed by withdrawing $300 from an ATM nearby.
He explained to the court that after purchasing drinks from the Mesh Bar, he made his way to the two-up table, only to realize he had just the change from the drinks he had bought.
He informed security staff about his lost money, who subsequently returned two $100 bills to him.
When questioned by Mr. Lamonica-Miraglio’s lawyer, John Hammond, Mr. Thiele acknowledged that he was unsure of the exact location where he lost his funds and whether the returned bills were indeed his.
Lamonica-Miraglio testified that he was staying at the Holiday Inn Hotel with his girlfriend on the night in question.
He confessed to not trying to locate the owner of the money, nor did he attempt to hand it over to casino security until approached by them.
He mentioned that he did not witness anyone lose the money and was unaware of its owner.
“I noticed there was a note on the floor… I put my foot on it and dragged it,” Lamonica-Miraglio stated in court today.
“Once I picked it up, there weren’t many people around.
“I hadn’t decided to do anything with it.”
Mr. Hammond argued in court that it would be “preposterous” to interrogate individuals inside a casino regarding money dropped on the floor.
“I would imagine there would be a flurry of hands with people claiming ‘It’s mine, it’s mine,’” Mr. Hammond commented.
“The facts are he believed the money had been abandoned.”
However, Magistrate Tarr remarked that Mr. Lamonica-Miraglio took “no steps” to locate the money’s owner.
“The accused was aware it (the money) did not belong to him,” Magistrate Tarr remarked.
“He made a conscious effort to hide it from the victim.”
Following the court session, Mr. Hammond criticized the treatment of his client by both police and security that night as “oppressive.”
“He was detained in a cell for nearly three hours… it was excessive,” Mr. Hammond stated.
In addition, Mr. Lamonica-Miraglio was instructed to pay over $300 in court fees.
by Mike Hansom
