AN apprentice mechanic who picked up $200 from the floor of Perth's Burswood Casino has been found guilty of stealing.

Adrian Lamonica-Miraglio, 22, of the Perth suburb of Lockridge, fought a charge of one count of stealing - but was today convicted by Magistrate Wayne Tarr, fined $500 and given a spent conviction order, Perth Now reports.

It was alleged that at about 8.30pm on March 27 the apprentice refrigeration mechanic was having drinks with friends at one of the casino's bars when he noticed the cash and picked it up and put it in his pocket.

He said he made no attempt to spend the money and handed it over when he was approached by casino security staff.



Mr Lamonica-Miraglio's lawyer, John Hammond, told the court it would be “preposterous” to start questioning people inside a casino if money dropped on the floor was theirs.



“I’d imagine there would be a flurry of hands with people saying 'It's mine, it's mine',” Mr Hammond said.



“The facts are he believed the money had been abandoned.”



But Magistrate Tarr said Mr Lamonica-Miraglio took “no steps” to find the owner of the money.



“The accused knew it (the money) was not his,” Magistrate Tarr said.



“He made a deliberate attempt to conceal it from the victim.”



Mr Lamonica-Miraglio was also ordered to pay more than $300 in court costs.

Read more about the man found guilty of stealing at Burswood Casino at Perth Now.