Keith Albert Palmer: Notorious burglar who went on stealing spree in Tenterden avoids immediate jail

A notorious burglar who stole several items and damaged multiple locks during a crime spree in Tenterden last week has avoided immediate jail time. Keith Albert Palmer appeared in Narrogin Magistrates Court on Tuesday via videolink from Albany Magistrates Court where he was held in custody. The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of trespass, burglary with intent, burglary and commit, two counts of stealing, and possession of stolen property. Between 7pm and 7am on March 31 and April 4, Palmer trespassed on a fenced property on Brooking Street in Tenterden, where he lifted the padlock off a rear shed. Palmer loaded multiple items into a milk crate including a backpack, weed sprayer, a fishing rod and reel and multiple assorted items worth $200, before leaving. Palmer then trespassed on a second Brooking Street property, removing the padlock and sliding bolt off the garden shed. He went to the property’s caravan, damaging the lock using a star picket, hammer and screwdriver but did not take any items. During those same hours, Palmer trespassed on a Saw Street property and stole six solar power lights worth $60 from yard fences and poles. The lights were recovered at the neighbour’s address. On April 1 at 4.15am, Palmer entered a fourth fenced property in the area, on Trimriver Street, and rifled through items on the veranda and looked into a bedroom window where the occupants were sleeping. The male occupant awoke, went outside and told Palmer to get off the property and the court was told Palmer responded by saying “I didn’t go into the shed, I’m just lost because I’m from Geraldton”. The man continued to tell Palmer to leave which he eventually did. Palmer also possessed a shopping bag with several stolen items that had been left in a shed on a vacant Brooking Street property, including fly spray, a hand saw, an axe, liquid fertiliser, a power cable and garden chemicals. Palmer admitted he had stolen the items, but did not remember from where. This offending breached a 12-month intensive supervision order served to Palmer in July last year for driving, drug and drinking offences. Lawyer Eva Svanberg said her client only remembers breaking a solar light and planning to use the stolen power cable as a noose. Ms Svanberg said Palmer had relapsed on meth and valium, “in his own words he went backwards”. She said Palmer had a tumultuous childhood, suffering abuse from his father and step dad, and has severe mental health issues. She said police arrested Palmer while he was in hospital recovering from a suicide attempt. Police prosecutor Sgt Dylan Fisher said the amount of stolen items was concerning and previous orders have not gained any traction, going on to say prison has been reached as the last resort. A community corrections officer confirmed Palmer has had poor engagement with orders due to mental health barriers exacerbated by his drug use. The officer said little gains had been made and they were concerned he would not engage with further orders. Magistrate Rosemarie Myers said it seemed Palmer had aspirations for the orders, but the reality was very different, acknowledging previous order breaches for burglary offences. Ms Myers said imprisonment was appropriate but it was clear Palmer had serious outstanding mental health issues that need to be addressed and gave him “an opportunity to take a change of direction with orders”. Palmer was given six-months imprisonment, conditionally suspended for 12-months, during which he must attend all community correction appointments. He was fined $950 plus $160.60 in costs and his current orders will continue.