Needing some excitement in his life, a 15-year-old Havelock North youth hacked into an electronic system to illegally order computer equipment.
However his wits apparently deserted him when he had the equipment sent to his home address, and he will now spend the next three months in a juvenile detention centre
in Palmerston North.
The youth, who cannot be named, received the sentence when he appeared before Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft in the Hastings Youth Court yesterday.
His time in the detention centre was to be followed by six months' supervision and Judge Becroft ordered the youth's mother to pay $1496.50 in reparations.
The youth was charged with accessing a computer for a dishonest purpose, causing loss by deception, theft, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, theft from a dwelling, three counts of burglary, and four counts of theft from a motor vehicle.
According to police, the youth agreed in February to exchange a schoolmate's computer and accessories for a more powerful machine and better accessories, at a cost of $235.
He contacted an associate, the owner of a Hastings computer store. The man refused to get involved, but the youth went ahead with the deal in March, selling his friend's computer on the Trademe website for around $600 - just over half its value.
He failed to supply the requested computer gear, eventually giving his friend a poorly-assembled, home-built computer which did not work. He also stole his friend's cellphone, valued at $200, although this was later returned by the deputy principal at their school.
On April 14 the youth hacked into the Hastings computer store's system, and ordered items he needed for his friend from a supplier in Auckland. He altered the delivery address for the items, valued at $1296.50, to his home.
Youth advocate Roger Philip said the youth, now aged 16, committed the crimes for the adrenalin rush. "Criminal activity appears to give him excitement. He just gets bored with his life and appears to get a thrill out of this."
