The carpet layer giveth, and he also taketh away.
Adam Steven Phillips was working for property maintenance service provider Prestige Ltd from September to October last year. The company does general maintenance for Housing New Zealand properties.
On September 23, Phillips was tasked with laying a carpet in a Wanganui house, police prosecutor Sergeant Stephen Butler said.
On November 3, he and an associate drove to the house, unlocked the lock box, and opened doors to the house. They went inside and stole four rolls of the carpet Phillips had laid.
He pleaded guilty to burglary in the Whanganui District Court yesterday. He also admitted a charge of shoplifting on June 10 this year.
Phillips was at Pak 'n Save in Glasgow St and attempted to steal $127 worth of items, Judge David Cameron said. Some items were recovered but $46.99 worth were not.
He told police he was hungry and "Winz wouldn't give him any money", Judge Cameron said.
Defence lawyer Stephanie Burlace said Phillips had one previous dishonesty conviction in 2007. "It's certainly not something he's known for," she said.
The carpet theft did not happen while he was working for Prestige Ltd.
Judge Cameron said the burglary was "very serious offending".
He sentenced Phillips to 300 hours of community work and ordered he pay $1477.98 reparation for the carpet and $46.99 for the groceries.