Tourist left gutted after treasured items stolen

A Belgian tourist says she "can't trust anyone in New Zealand" after a Wanganui man stole clothes and sentimental items while she and her father travelled the country.

"I feel like going home," the woman said in a victim impact statement read out in Whanganui District Court.

"I feel like I can't trust anyone in New Zealand any more," the woman wrote. "I know that's wrong, but I'm saddened by what happened."

James Hosie smashed the window of the tourists' vehicle around November 4 and helped himself to clothing and an "extremely old set of Dutch playing cards" belonging to the 27-year-old woman and her father.

She estimated the value of what was stolen to be up to 600 ($890).

"Most of them can be replaced, I guess," she said. However, the "rare" and "unique" set of cards could not.

"I treasured them and now they are gone ... I'm trying to be positive and move on but I'm still very disappointed."

Hosie also broke into another car and stole musical instruments from it.

On Monday, he pleaded guilty to two charges of theft and one charge of breaching community work.

"I hope one day you have items you treasure, and I hope they are not stolen like you have stolen from this Belgian tourist," Judge Chris Sygrove told Hosie.

He noted Hosie had committed the crimes after being dealt with on an unrelated matter - on November 4 he was sentenced for other charges.

A pre-sentence report showed Hosie had a "significant problem with substance abuse", but had now found work with his father, developing a beekeeping business.

He was "embarrassed" about his criminal history.

"Let this be a wake-up call to you to go make something of your life. You're a young man - you're 22 - you have got the world before you," the judge said.

He sentenced Hosie to six months of community detention with a 9pm-7am curfew, 12 months of intensive supervision, and ordered reparation of $420.