The alleged driver of a stolen Volkswagen who sped off from police in a pursuit through Mount Pleasant unsuccessfully applied for bail on Monday.
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Tyson Briggs, 20, was allegedly identified by police behind the wheel of a yellow Volkswagen hatch on Elsworth Street on the morning of January 31, passing within two to three metres of a police car at an intersection.
Police said the officers in the vehicle recognised Briggs, who was driving in a cap and face mask, and identified the stolen car, which was linked to vehicle break-ins earlier that morning.
Taking off after the Volkswagen, police alleged Briggs sped onto Brittain Street, beginning a pursuit which saw him speed up to about 100kmh in a 60kmh zone.
Police said the officers called off the chase in the interest of public safety. He was later arrested and bailed on January 18.
Briggs appeared from custody at the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday to apply for bail following a subsequent arrest.
He faced several other charges, relating the theft of and from parked cars in Ballarat across late 2023 and early 2024.
In one incident, it was alleged Briggs stole a Mazda 3 from the outside of Sebastopol McDonald's about 10.15pm on January 12.
The Mazda belonged to an Uber Eats driver, who had left the car parked out the front of the restaurant with the keys in the ignition to pick up an order.
Police said Briggs was seen on CCTV driving away with the car, which was later found on Katy Ryan Road in Canadian with minor damage to its front.
Briggs was also alleged to have been spotted on CCTV footage stealing petrol from a Warrenheip service station on the night of January 29, in the stolen yellow Volkswagen.
The vehicle had been reported as stolen from from a property in Golden Point days earlier.
The court heard following his arrest Briggs had admitted to many of the crimes during a police interview, barring the theft of the yellow Volkswagen, which he contested.
At Monday's hearing, Briggs' lawyer Clare Moss pointed out issues in the police's case against Briggs, namely his identification as the driver of the stolen Volkswagen on what was a dark morning wearing a mask and cap.
Ms Moss also said should Briggs get bail, he would have family support, a place to stay and the support of Corrections for drug and alcohol treatment.
Briggs was on a community corrections order and bail at the time of the alleged offending.
Magistrate Guillaume Bailin said the alleged pursuit from police was a "serious" example of the offence, aggravated by the fact Briggs was on court orders at the time.
He said Briggs' had failed to show why he should be granted bail - a requirement when charged with committing offences on a community corrections order - and denied granting him bail.
"Mr Briggs has demonstrated an inability to comply with court orders, also an inability to avert from further offending, particularly driving offending," Magistrate Bailin said.
The matter was adjourned until March 13.
