Rex Martinich
The case against a Brazilian man accused of being part of an international syndicate stealing five four-wheel-drives a day is predominantly circumstantial, a judge has heard.
Rodrigo Kanae Sato is allegedly part of a group of foreign nationals who flew into Queensland in October to break into specific models of Toyota vehicles, including LandCruisers and Prados.
The 45-year-old applied for bail in Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday after spending more than seven months in custody.
Police allege the syndicate stole 60 vehicles across the Brisbane region during a 12-day spree.
The syndicate allegedly sent the vehicles to the United Arab Emirates in shipping containers.
About a quarter of the allegedly stolen vehicles were recovered, police said in January.
Sato was arrested after police observed two alleged stolen LandCruisers entering a wrecking yard in Brisbane’s south, Justice Lincoln Crowley heard.
Crowley said he was concerned by the large number of serious and sophisticated alleged offences.
“The syndicate [allegedly] used a third-party device to access the vehicle’s control system to unlock and start the vehicles without a key,” he said.
“Access was gained to the network port by drilling a small hole into [the vehicle].”
Sato was allegedly linked to the syndicate because of messages on a phone found hidden in a toilet at a shared residence, defence barrister Suki Bloom said.
“The case is predominantly circumstantial,” she said.
Bloom said Sato would wear an electronic tracking device to prevent fleeing overseas.
Crown prosecutor Joana Dias said she opposed bail as Sato presented an unacceptable risk of flight.
“There are no effective ties to Australia, and his family is in Brazil,” she said.
The police found WhatsApp messages that were written in Portuguese, which is Sato’s only spoken language, and described the locations of stolen vehicles, Crowley heard.
“He came to Australia, apparently on a visitor visa for a very short period of time and these offences were committed a short time thereafter,” Dias said.
Crowley said Sato’s proposed bail conditions had reduced the risks to an acceptable level.
Sato was granted bail but ordered to remain in custody until he found a suitable place to live.
AAP
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