Man admits charge of burglarizing abandoned, red-stickered house.
A worker on the Hotel Grand Chancellor demolition has triggered another warning that the courts will take a hard line to protect people’s earthquake-damaged properties.
Childson Latu, 23, admitted a burglary charge at a Christchurch District Court court sitting at the Nga Hau e Wha Marae today.
The charge was not related to the central-city demolition job where he has been working.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Dave Murray said Latu and another man drove to Locksley Ave, Dallington, about 7.45am on October 19, and entered a property where there was an abandoned, red-stickered house. They were seen by a member of the public, who called the police. The pair entered the unlocked garage and took a gas cooker, mini-bowling set and a tennis racket. The other man then tried to get in the back door of the house but it was locked.
When the police arrived, the pair dumped the stolen items and took off over the rear fence and into another street, but they handed themselves in to a police patrol manning a cordon in Gayhurst Rd.
Defence counsel April Kelland said their actions had been motivated by curiosity and the pair had given themselves up because they realised they should not have done it.
She said Latu was working long hours on the demolition work and had the continued support of his employer, who was at court.
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