Eighteen-year-old on home detention goes out for a smoke, and robs Hastings bottle shop

Police pictured at the Angus Inn liquor store in Hastings, on the night it was robbed. Photo / Paul Taylor

An 18-year-old who robbed a Hastings bottle store was identified via a home detention bracelet he had worn for just two days after being convicted for a previous robbery.

The details were revealed in Hastings District Court today after 18-year-old Fairmont Ropata Wairama pleaded guilty to a charge of robbing an Angus Inn Bottle Store attendant of a till and $260 on August 26.

After tracking the bracelet's signal, police went to Wairama's address minutes after the robbery.

He was not there, but police arrested him two days later. He told police he'd just wanted to go to jail to be with his brother.

Wairama also admitted breaching the conditions of a 12-month home detention sentence which had been imposed on August 24 for the aggravated robbery of the Mobil Havelock North petrol station in April.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Dean Goodall told Judge Geoff Rea that Wairama walked out of his approved address Karamu Rd address on August 26, telling his sister he was going outside for a smoke.

Armed with two knives he'd taken from the kitchen, he crossed the railway line to the bottle store in Railway Rd, entered the bottle store with his face covered, threatened the attendant and took the till.

He fled, cutting the bracelet from his leg. However, police were able to identify him by tracking the bracelet.

Wairama was remanded in custody for sentencing in Napier District Court on November 30.