A Kiwi deported from Australia after racking up more than 30 convictions told New Zealand authorities he knew he would re-offend when he got back home, so thought he'd get it out of his system straight away.
Haihura Ward, 26, was one of the first batch of deportees sent from Australia in November last year after a hardline law change in late 2014 resulted in a surge in people being kicked out for criminal histories or on character grounds.
Ward had barely warmed his feet on New Zealand soil when he carried out a burglary of a Hamilton home on November 27, last year.
Ward arrived back in New Zealand on November 12 after being deported from Australia where he'd clocked up 36 convictions for offences including burglary, robbery, receiving and assault with intent to rob.
He was in Galbraith Ave in Hamilton just over two weeks later and spied a spade outside a house. He used it to jemmy open a window. After climbing through, the alarm went off. He fled and was found a short time later.