Shoplifter is warned of bad company

‘You refused to give the goods back. It makes no sense to me.’’

Community magistrate Robyn Paterson

A woman has been told to stop mixing with the wrong crowd after landing herself with two convictions for shoplifting.

Magdalena Matulka stole $104.93 worth of goods from the New Plymouth Bendon store on August 23. Only a week prior, she had been spotted on the security cameras at Mitre 10 in Moturoa trying to steal an LED torch.

Despite being stopped before leaving the shop she refused to give the $25.98 item back.

In New Plymouth District Court yesterday, community magistrate Robyn Paterson was perplexed by the summary of facts before her.

‘‘You refused to give the goods back,’’ she said. ‘‘It makes no sense to me.’’

She questioned Matulka’s explanation for stealing.

The 33-year-old had told arresting officers: ‘‘I don’t know why I did it.’’

Matulka had no real explanation for her lawyer Nathan Bourke either. Only that her friend had encouraged her to do it, he said.

Paterson advised Matulka to stop hanging out with people who were such a bad influence.

‘‘I hope you’re now separated from them,’’ she said.

Bourke said the two shoplifting charges, to which Matulka pleaded guilty, were her first dishonesty convictions. He asked police to consider diversion, or a sentence of reparation coupled with a small fine. The adult diversion scheme allows police to deal with some offences without going through formal court prosecution.

Eligible offenders complete police-appointed activities within a given timeframe to avoid both a full prosecution and the possibility of a conviction. However, police opposed diversion.

‘‘That diversion was declined tells me you’re not as pure as the driven snow,’’ Paterson told Matulka.

For the two charges, Paterson handed down a fine of $500 plus court costs. She also ordered Matulka pay reparation to both stores in full by the end of the working day.