INCOGNITO: The alleged "undie thief" - seen above breaking into Placemakers last month - has been remanded on bail.
INCOGNITO: The alleged "undie thief" - seen above breaking into Placemakers last month - has been remanded on bail.
The 50-year-old Kaitaia man who allegedly broke into Placemakers in Kaitaia last month wearing only underpants and white gumboots, was remanded on bail without plea when he appeared before Judge Josephine Bouchier in the Kaitaia District Court on Thursday.
Karl Hoea Heta will appear again on July 24 on chargesof burglary and wilful damage after the alleged break-in on June 17.
Lawyer Jayne Francis told the court that the defendant - who entered the dock wearing a pair of Redband gumboots - had contacted a lawyer from Auckland but had not yet met him. Heta was expected to enter pleas to the charges at his next appearance.
Heta also successfully sought a variation to his 24-hour curfew, to allow him to work voluntarily at his local marae and cemetery. The curfew was reduced to 6pm to 7.30am.
The defendant, who according to police was the man seen on CCTV wielding an axe, and another man allegedly broke into the hardware store under cover of darkness, taking thousands of dollars worth of power tools and rugby jerseys, all of which were recovered nearby.
Heta, who was near the scene when police arrived, dressed in underpants and gumboots, initially denied any involvement and "staggered" off, but returned later, wearing pants and a different pair of gumboots.
