Man hid stolen motorbike for a year

A man hid a $10,500 stolen motorbike at his rural Taranaki property for a year before police located it – and some cannabis plants to boot.

Corey Peter Douglas came across the

2013 Honda VFR on the side of Mo¯ kau Rd (State Highway 3), Mimi, in May

2019, after it was left there following damage in an accident, according to a police summary of facts.

Douglas drove a motorcycle trailer to the spot, loaded the bike onto it, and drove it to his home in Urenui, hiding it in his garage.

A year later, in May 2020, police executed a search warrant at the address and, during the search, found six cannabis plants about 1.5 metres high. Eight dried cannabis cuttings were also discovered hanging in a leanto in a wood shed to dry.

The Honda bike was found in a garage on the property.

When spoken to by police, the defendant said they were his cannabis plants, and that he had found the motorbike on the side of the road in the Urutı¯ Valley.

In New Plymouth District Court on Friday, Judge Gregory Hikaka noted Douglas did not have any previous convictions for dishonesty, and gave a sentencing indication of community detention and supervision, which was accepted.

Douglas was sentenced to three months of community detention, with a curfew from 6pm to 5am, and six months’ supervision.

He was also ordered to pay $500 of reparation within 28 days, to cover the insurance excess for the motorcycle, and destruction of the cannabis was ordered.