Two Ngongotaha men have been sentenced to a total of 460 hours' community work for stealing ponga from public conservation land.
Tyson Brake, 26, and Bruce Hector McCollum, 39, pleaded guilty to the theft of 54 ponga from the Rotoehu Conservation Area on March 10.
They were caught in the act by Department of Conservation (DoC) compliance officers who seized the logs along with a trailer and chainsaw being used as part of the illegal activity. McCollum also pleaded guilty to a charge of giving false details to the compliance officers.
In the Rotorua District Court today, Brake was sentenced to 200 hours of community work and his chainsaw was confiscated. McCollum was sentenced to 260 hours of community work.
Judge Noel Cocurullo said he wanted their sentencing to be a warning to others who did not realise the seriousness of these types of crimes.