Tuesday, Feb 12, 2019
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Burglar admits to his crimes An Ashburton man has admitted his part in burglaries involving the theft of cigarettes worth $41,247. Robert Wikohika, 18, pleaded guilty to burglaries of five rural Canterbury businesses when he appeared in the Ashburton District Court yesterday before Judge Joanna Maze. Wikohika admitted being amongst those who broke into the Glentunnel dairy and a Hororata service station on February 12 last year; a Leeston dairy and service station on February 25 and the Hinds Tavern on March 2. In most cases, the thieves smashed their way in and removed cigarette cabinets. Wikohika was remanded on bail to April 29 for sentence and the judge asked that restorative justice meetings between the small business owners and the defendant take place. A police summary of facts filed, but
not read in court, said Wikohika was involved in five of 20 burglaries targeting rural Canterbury service stations, cafes and dairies in January, February and March of 2018. Thieves were targeting cigarettes and money machines. The burglaries were committed by a number of offenders, though only some have been identified. Wikohika was at Glentunnel, when the dairy’s window was smashed to gain entry and a cabinet containing cigarettes worth $21,000 removed. Damage amounted to $3500. At Hororata, a service station’s cigarette cabinet was also taken, with cigarettes worth $16,024. Damage amounted to $4000. Wikohika was amongst those who went to Leeston on February 25, and a rock was thrown through the window of the local Challenge service station. The
thieves then used a grinder to remove a lock and made off with cigarettes worth $4223 and two cash registers worth $400 each. Damage amounted to $4000. The group moved on to the Leeston Dairy, where they used their stolen vehicle to reverse into the building’s doors to gain entry. There they stole cigarette lighters and lollies. The Ashburton man was then among four offenders who went to the Hinds Tavern on March 2. They parked outside the tavern at 3am then smashed a lock on the main doors to get inside. They took a standalone ATM machine, containing $5000 cash, and two cash registers and $300 cash.
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