'Christmas thief' denied bail in Qld court

A Queensland man who allegedly stole the Christmas presents out from under a family's Christmas tree on the Gold Coast has been given the unwanted gift of spending New Year's behind bars.

Todd Langtry, 34, was denied bail at Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday, after allegedly committing a string of burglaries that culminated in him breaking into a Crestmead family's home on Christmas Day and stealing their presents.

Langtry has been charged with four counts of burglary and also has a number of drug offences hanging over his head.

His bail application was refused on Wednesday after Magistrate Gary Finger was not convinced he wouldn't find himself in trouble again.

"You're an unacceptable risk of re-offending," Magistrate Finger said.

Langtry's arrest on Tuesday came after a three-month investigation into burglaries in Marsden, Browns Plains and Crestmead.

A significant amount of the stolen property has now been recovered.

Langtry was remanded in custody to appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court next month, and fined $500 for failing to appear at a previous hearing.