Clothes-sniffing thief sentenced

A man who stole belongings from New Zealand and Australian tourists at a Fiji resort has been sentenced to 15 months in jail, suspended for two years.

Tevita Vuniyayawa, 20, pleaded guilty in the Nadi court on Friday.

The court was told Vuniyayawa stole from five tourists while they were at the Mana Island Resort on December 16, 2005. He stole clothes, cash, a ski board and a towel from five rooms.

Vuniyayawa said he had taken the clothes because he liked the different smells from the different clothes.

- NZPA