Two men who stole alcohol from the Riverside Bar in Taupo Quay have been sentenced to community work.
Vaughn Ranginui, 19, and Mark Waitokia, 20, were arrested on July 29 when an off-duty police officer saw them acting suspiciously outside the bar about 11pm. He had turned his car around and returned to find the front door of the bar open.
Other police officers arrived and arrested Ranginui and Waitokia. Both pleaded guilty to burglary and appeared in the Whanganui District Court yesterday for sentencing.
The court heard the pair pushed open the bar's doors, which were not properly shut, before entering and taking several bottles of alcohol.
They had hidden the bottles across the road before returning to take more.
Judge Patrick Treston said restorative justice with the victim had been successful and reparations were not being sought.
The two were sentenced to 80 hours community work each and six months supervision.