A 36-year-old man who stole registration plates from nine vehicles as part of a plan to steal hundreds of dollars worth of petrol was a surprise packet yesterday when he admitted the offences in the Hastings District Court.
Anthony Claude Ross, of Hastings, also pleaded guilty to three charges of theft from a supermarket, which in two cases included the "basket". He has only two previous convictions, one of threatening behaviour, by kicking a motor vehicle with intent to frighten.
Registration plates were taken mainly from vehicles on car sales lots and other sites were also targeted, but Ross limited the number of victims across the other thefts, stealing $1891.18 worth of petrol from BP Stortford Lodge between January 19 and June 8 this year, and $900 worth of goods were taken from the Havelock North New World in May and June.
The surprise came as Judge Max Courtney considered defence counsel Anthony Willis's application for bail, pending sentencing on October 10.
He said that considering the range of offences, including some while on bail, Ross "should be in custody."
But the judge said he then realised Ross only had "a couple of other" previous convictions.
Ross sought bail to enable him to help his ailing mother. Granting the request, with overnight curfews, Judge Courtney warned Ross if he wanted to keep being around to help he had tocomply with the conditions.