Joe-Roy Johnston sentenced for “Mission Impossible” style burglary at vape store

A Busselton man stole more than $20,000 in vapes as part of a string of “Mission Impossible” type robberies that landed him behind bars.

Joe-Roy Johnston appeared in Busselton Magistrate’s Court last Tuesday after admitting to 11 drug and robbery charges after break-ins across Perth and Peel.

The court heard the man forced his way into Rockingham’s Just Vapours Australia on July 17 last year by lowering himself with a rope through the store’s sunlight roof before stealing $20,487 worth of vapes, which went unrecovered.

His trespassing caused $1000 in weather damages after the roof he used to enter the building was left open.

On May 23, Johnston stole alcohol and $150 cash from the Bullcreek Tennis Club after scaling a 2m-high fence and entering the main building through a window.

The act was captured on CCTV and DNA evidence was also left on the club’s wire cutters Johnston had used in the break-in.

Nearly two weeks later, he was located by police in Geographe and ran into a nearby property to hide when approached.

He was found with 2.8 grams of crystal meth in his wallet, less than 1g of cannabis and 10 broken up Xanax pills.

The defence submitted to the court Johnston had struggled with drug abuse for 10 years which influenced him to take part in such “unsophisticated, unplanned and brazen acts”.

Johnston, who has been in custody since August 19, was handed a backdated 18-month sentence during his court appearance last Tuesday, meaning he is already eligible for parole.

He was also handed a $1500 fine as part of his punishment.