Alleged gecko thief remanded in custody

A Poroti man facing charges of stealing geckos after breaking into a museum and a reptile park has been further remanded in custody.

No plea was taken when Justin Mathew Howes, 19, re-appeared in the Whangarei District Court yesterday facing two charges of burglary.

His lawyer, Roger Bowden, said he did not have enough time to look into the case and asked for it to be adjourned.

He said Howes should be in a position to plead on Monday.

Police alleged that Howes entered Ti Point Reptile Park at Leigh, near Warkworth, with intent to commit a crime. He also allegedly entered the Maunu Museum with the same intent.

Judge John McDonald remanded him in custody until Monday.

Seven native forest geckos, four female and three male, were snatched from an enclosure in the Kiwi House at Maunu between 8pm on June 28 and 9.15am the next day.

The other 19 geckos recovered by police- a mixture of green and Duvaucel's geckos - were stolen from Leigh on June 27.

- Northern Advocate