Krystal Leigh Hume: 28-year-old issued fine after stealing $500 of Busselton booze for birthday

A Busselton woman who stole nearly $500 of alcohol to celebrate her birthday has been fined for the act. Krystal Leigh Hume, 28, appeared in Bunbury Magistrates Court on Monday where she pleaded guilty to three charges of stealing, all from various liquor stores around Bunbury. On December 27, one day before Hume’s birthday, she and a co-accused were seen entering Dan Murphy’s Bunbury where they selected a variety of spirits from the shelf before exiting the store making no attempt to pay. It was believed the pair had just shy of $500 worth of booze between them, Hume taking a 700ml bottle of Vodka and two one-litre bottles of Jack Daniels valued at $209. Later that day the pair were seen again in First Choice Liquor, where they again stole a variety of alcohol valued at $241, Hume taking two cartons of Woodstock bourbon and cola. Then at Condello’s Liquor in Waterloo, the pair made a third theft, Hume taking a 750ml bottle of Tropical Rumba and two 700ml bottles of Diva Vodka. The court was told Hume was in Bunbury for the holiday period, and had stolen the items to sell to “make it to the next pay cycle” claiming she had “zero funds”. It was further revealed Hume intended to keep two of the bottles of liquor to use to celebrate her birthday the day after the offending. Magistrate Linda Keane handed down a fine of $750, saying there were other ways to celebrate that didn’t involve criminal activity. “Of course you can celebrate your birthday, doesn’t mean you can steal alcohol to do so,” she said.