Flood-damaged home burgled

A man who was "literally taken for a ride" on a burglary trip has been sentenced to prison.

Dean Eaton was with a group of people on May 23 who burgled an empty home which was under renovations following last year's flood.

Members of the group smashed a pane of glass and kicked in a wooden door, Judge Philip Crayton said in the Whanganui District Court on Monday.

Tools and other items valued at just under four a half thousand dollars were stolen.

The damage to the house in the burglary was $672.

The car was spotted leaving the property, and police were called. They were able to retrieve the stolen property, Judge Crayton said.

Defence lawyer Harete Hipango said Eaton was "not an active participant" in the burglary, but was simply picked up in the car and taken along.

"He was literally taken for a ride," Ms Hipango said.

Nevertheless, Eaton pleaded guilty to burglary.

Judge Crayton said he had 12 previous burglary convictions.

He sentenced him to 18 months in prison and ordered he pay reparation of $168.