Rotorua Courthouse. Photo / NZME
Jason Tihi broke into a residential garage, took a $3000 electric bike and rode it to his emergency housing motel to try and hide it.
But police were watching the whole time and caught him red-handed.
He told the police he stole the bike because he couldn't get a job.
A few months earlier, Tihi was also snapped shoving a whole sirloin valued at $75 down his pants at a Rotorua supermarket and trying to break into a car in Hastings.
Now, Rotorua District Court Judge Tony Snell has decided his fate.
Tihi earlier pleaded guilty to burglary, shoplifting, unlawfully interfering with a motor vehicle, possession of instruments to break into cars and driving without a licence.
On Friday October 29 2021 at 11.25am, Tihi went to a Malfroy Rd house and stole the electric bike.
Judge Snell said: "You were followed by police because they saw you doing this and you were trying to load it into your motel room. When confronted about it, you said you were stealing it because you can't get a job. I don't accept that as a valid reason for you stealing."
On March 13, he went to Pak'nSave's meat display unit and stole a whole sirloin by "shoving" it down his pants. He was confronted but refused to give it back before running off.
On June 24 2021, he was at the Hastings Tyre Centre on Omahu Rd and police were called after he was seen trying to steal a car from an area in front of the shop.
"People observed you trying to jimmy open a door of a Toyota Epsom vehicle. By the time police arrived you were still trying to do that. You had a spanner, long piece of wire and two pieces of thick insulation."
Judge Snell said Tihi had only one previous conviction for threatening to kill and do grievous bodily harm, which he received community work and supervision for in 2019.
The judge said "this little wave of dishonesty offending needs to stop" because the whole Rotorua community was "sick of people nicking things".
Tihi's lawyer told Judge Snell a stint in jail would be warranted but the judge didn't agree, given Tihi's lack of relevant previous convictions and the fact he had suffered a head injury.
"That would be absolutely catastrophic for someone like you and the issues you have and the fact you have no history."
Judge Snell noted there needed to be two reports arranged by Community Probation Service before sentencing because he didn't engage in the first one.
"You didn't turn up, you didn't keep meetings and you didn't help yourself."
The second report ordered by a judge was more helpful but didn't recommend jail.
"I don't want to be the cause of destabilisation in your life and I understand you have a home to stay in now, you're engaged at Tumanako in terms of assistance and in terms of totality a community based sentence is the most appropriate."
But Judge Snell said his sentence of 12 months' intensive supervision - which included directions that he complete a tikanga Māori programme and counselling to address his offending behaviour - came with a final warning.
"Come before the court for another burglary or unlawful interference with a motor vehicle and you will go to prison and that will be recorded on your record. I hope you get some help and I hope you don't come back here and nothing would please me more if this was the last time you and I met within this building," Judge Snell said.