I stole a 20kg ornamental gorilla called Garry on the back of a ute hired from Bunnings. Yes it was a silly mistake, but can you blame me?

A thief has confessed to making a “very stupid” mistake by stealing a beloved gorilla statue from a nursing home.

Matthew Newbould pleaded guilty on Friday to the theft of a 20kg garden ornament named Garry from a retirement home in St Helena, north-east Melbourne, on June 6.

The 33-year-old man went to the village of Leith Park with a friend to buy a chest of drawers when he saw the statue standing on tree stumps, Heidelberg Crown Court was told.

Newbould grabbed Garry and put him in the back of a pick-up truck he had hired from Bunnings before driving away.

A bystander saw the gorilla sitting in the backseat of the car and took a photo before calling police.

Newbould was arrested on July 5 and a search of his phone turned up text messages to friends, including one that read: “LOL, I stole a gorilla, now what?”

He was also stripped of his driving license at the time of the theft, after losing it in July last year.

His lawyer, Rebecca Elder, told the court that Newbould had made a foolish and opportunistic decision to steal Garry and that he never intended to sell the statue.

Newbould also admitted to magistrate Michael Wighton that he had made a serious mistake.

“It was very stupid,” he told the court.

Mrs Elder requested that Newbould be given a fine or community service as they both fell within the offence.

But Wighton said the combination of the theft and driving without a licence made the offence more serious.

He ordered Newbould to conduct a community corrections review on Monday, ahead of a sentencing hearing in September.

“Just keep trying to stay out of trouble,” Mr. Wighton told him.

The 33-year-old’s bail was extended until his next court appearance.