Marcus Noel Read Cuthbert, 44, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to two charges of burglary, being unlawfully in a building and five charges of theft.
The court heard that on January 5, Cuthbert and an associate went to Southern Cross Jewellers in Princes St, Dunedin.
Cuthbert was carrying a butane torch which they used to burn a door deadbolt in the hope of getting into the store.
Unsuccessful, Cuthbert prised the door open using hand tools.
Inside, the pair stole watch and clock parts which were useless to anyone apart from watch or clock repairers, a police summary said.
When the alarm activated, Cuthbert began smashing glass display cabinets and shoved jewellery into a backpack.
The items stolen were not of high value.
Other goods, worth a lot more, were left behind.
The store owner described the event as "horrendous" and said he was sleeping at the store in fear of further break-ins.
His mother’s crucifix, of incalculable sentimental value, was among the items stolen.
On January 13, Cuthbert entered a sleeping victim’s Dalmore home by breaking a glass sliding door.
Cuthbert claimed he was being chased by a gang, then ran away.
When the occupant returned to the broken door, he noticed about two dozen blank pistol cartridges on the floor.
Later the same day, the defendant climbed a fence into a residential property in Pine Hill.
The occupant opened her front door, believing the man was her neighbour.
Cuthbert again stated he was being chased by a gang.
He asked her if she smoked methamphetamine and offered her a smoke.
She declined.
Cuthbert’s other dishonesty offending included stealing more than $100 worth of honey from a stall which used an "honesty box" system, and shoplifting from clothing stores.
Counsel Anne Stevens KC said her client came from a "very deprived" background and all of his offending was driven by addiction issues.
"Mr Cuthbert is 44 years of age and he has been in prison [for] virtually his entire adult life," Mrs Stevens said.
He had support in the community and a good chance of rehabilitation, she said.
Sentencing Cuthbert to 25 months’ jail, Judge David Robinson told him: "So long as your addiction is untreated, you’re at risk of further offending ... it probably ends up being inevitable".
"You owe it to previous victims ... to do everything in your power to get away from this."
