Wellington man imprisoned after stealing car with labrador in the back

A man has been imprisoned after stealing a car from a supermarket carpark with a labrador in the back. Photo / 123rf

A man who stole a car from a supermarket carpark was not alone when he took the vehicle for a joyride into the city - he had a reluctant, and furry, passenger that answered to the name of Josie.

The chocolate labrador had been in the back of the vehicle when Tuehi Hamiora Smith, 36, stole it from outside Petone Pak’nSave on April 21.

Smith drove into Wellington city with the dog, only to be found by police the following day sitting at the wheel of the stolen vehicle on Taranaki St.

Josie and the car were returned to the owner.

Yesterday, Smith appeared in Hutt Valley District Court for sentencing on two charges of motor vehicle theft, one of receiving stolen property in relation to the dog, shoplifting and driving while disqualified.

The court heard that when Smith took the car and Josie, he was on bail for stealing another car from Petone last September. He and that vehicle were also found by police in less than 24 hours.

He had also stolen multiple meat products from the same supermarket in December.

Defence lawyer Cathie Sheat said Smith had spent around three months remanded in custody since his last arrest.

He struggled with alcohol use and did not have a home, she said.

A cultural report that would have canvased his background was missing because of a communication breakdown, but Smith wished to progress with sentencing.

Judge Tania Warburton said the possibility of a community-based sentence was limited because of Smith’s lack of accommodation and apparent unwillingness to impose on family.

She adopted the police prosecution’s start point of eight months imprisonment, stating it was lower than the typical start point for this offending because had a cultural report been prepared, it would probably have resulted in a further discount.

Smith then received a 25 per cent discount for his early guilty pleas, leaving him with an end sentence of six months in prison.

He would be subject to conditions upon release, including engaging in an alcohol harm programme.

Ethan Griffiths covers crime and justice stories nationwide for Open Justice. He joined NZME in 2020, previously working as a regional reporter in Whanganui and South Taranaki.