A Whangarei mother and a deaf male teenager broke into and stole items from a house while the woman's 6-month-old baby sat in the car.
Holly Walker has pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary and another of aggravated assault and will appear for sentencing in Whangarei District Court next week.
She was with 17-year-old Taylem Junior Henry on September 30 when they burgled a house in Pipiwai and loaded a number of items into their car before being disturbed by the owner. Another person allegedly involved has denied the charge.
The home owner saw Henry running away from the rear of the property with a camera bag from the house.
Also stolen were a remote control helicopter, a digital camera, a laptop computer, a gaming console and other electrical items.
The vehicle was stopped on Three Mile Bush Rd a short time later and all items were recovered. Henry pleaded guilty to the burglary.
In another incident, Henry broke into a house on Western Hills' Drive on August 26 while Hillary Walters, 23, remained as a watch out at the entrance.
While inside the house, the security alarm went off and both then ran away. Henry was located a short time later.
A pre-sentence report recommended community detention and intensive supervision for both, who pleaded guilty to burglary.
Judge Eddie Paul said Henry, who was present with a sign language interpreter, was susceptible of being influenced by older people because of his young age. Some restrictions on his movement would have a favourable outcome, he said.
Henry was sentenced to four months community detention and 12 months intensive supervision. He'll be on curfew from 7pm to 7am daily and will pay $50 reparation to Transpower New Zealand at $10 a week.
Walters was ordered to undergo 12 months intensive supervision and 60 hours community work. He'll also pay $50 reparation to Transpower NZ at $10 per week.