Teen thief instructed to smarten his act up

File Photo / NZ Herald

A Rotorua man told probation officers his victims had a "flash house" so could afford to be burgled, a court has heard.

Deyonte Te Kata Thompson, 19, was sentenced in the Rotorua District Court on Wednesday to 180 hours' community work and 12 months' supervision after previously pleading guilty to two burglaries.

Judge David Ruth said the first burglary happened in December 2012 at a residential Rotorua property.

Thompson used a screwdriver to open a window, entered and rummaged through cupboards and drawers.

He stole three televisions, a satellite decoder, spirits, a key and money, with a total value of $4128.

Thompson told police he drank the alcohol and sold the televisions for $100 each.

In May Thompson went into the back room of a local restaurant and stole a staff member's bag containing an iPod, keys and clothing.

Judge Ruth said Thompson had no previous convictions and was assessed by probation to be at low risk of reoffending.

However he said he was troubled by some of the comments in the pre-sentence report.

"You said it was a flash house and the people who lived there would be rich and could afford it," the judge told Thompson. "You need to sort yourself out."

Thompson was ordered to complete a drug and alcohol programme and a tikanga Maori programme.