Now with more than 20 dishonesty convictions, Cane Norton Kelland, 27, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday for sentencing on his most recent raft of thefts.
Kelland committed one burglary, one trespass and seven thefts between January 28 and March 27 — stealing $4213 of goods from stores around Dunedin, including the Bottle O, in Hillside Rd, Swanndri, Noel Leeming and The Warehouse.
"He had no money for food ... . that’s what he was taking the goods for."
At the time of the offending, Kelland was in breach of his release conditions, after serving a 10-month prison sentence for an earlier crime spree.
An onlooker managed to take a photo of Kelland in action in October last year, after he stole a pair of bolt cutters from Mitre 10 to facilitate the theft of a $7000 bike chained up outside.
The inevitability of jail time was clear.
"There are no other options, are there?" Judge Jim Large said.
As the judge handed down his sentence, he acknowledged Kelland’s "diabolical upbringing".
"It makes incredibly sad reading.
"You grew up in circumstances that are really, really sad.
"I can understand how you have got to be the young man you are today."
He encouraged the man to turn his life around when his prison sentence was completed.
Kelland was sentenced to 11 months 2 weeks’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $4213 reparation.
By Erin Cox
