Pair admit cleaning out holiday rentals

Police want $58,000 reparations from two women involved in stripping household gear from Christchurch rental properties.

One of the women, 36-year-old Terangimarie O-Te-Arohuni Jury, bit the police officer at a property that had been cleaned out in Head St, Sumner.

The two admitted a series of charges at the Christchurch District Court on Friday and have been remanded for sentencing on May 15.

Samadhi Kalita Lucas, 31, remains in custody after both women admitted two burglary charges and five charges of receiving property stolen from the rentals. Jury also admitted assaulting the officer.

Judge Paul Kellar ordered pre-sentence reports on both women and an assessment for home detention suitability for Jury, who is on electronically monitored bail.

Lucas has been in custody on remand and remains in custody for sentencing.

Defence counsel David Stringer said it was hoped she might have served her jail sentence by the time of her sentencing.

Crown prosecutor Deirdre Elsmore said all the properties involved were furnished short-term rentals managed by property management companies. They were booked through the Booking.com or Bookabach websites.

The common practice is to have a combination lock box installed which contains a key to the property. Once a booking has been paid, the tenant is given the combination to get the key.

The women admitted receiving property stolen from a house in Clarence St, Riccarton. Lucas admitted burglary for taking household items worth more than

$1000 from a property booked in Charlesworth St, Woolston, in May 2018.

A few weeks later, Jury and others cleaned out property worth $32,000 from a rental in Huntsbury. Items worth $3479 were found at Lucas’ address.

Furniture and whiteware was removed from a rental in Picton Ave, Riccarton, between May 22 and 26, 2018. Items were found at both women’s addresses.

A few days later, furniture, whiteware, kitchen utensils, and personal items were taken from properties in Barbadoes St and Queens Ave, Fendalton. Items were found at both women’s houses.

In June, an unknown person rented a property in Head St, Sumner, before Jury and Lucas removed furniture, pictures, and bedding, valued at $24,000. $1140 worth of it was found at Lucas’ address.

While police were in the house, the women drove up in a car. Lucas stayed in the car while Jury went into the property. While she was moving a couch, a detective walked up behind her, put his hand on her shoulder and told her she was under arrest. Jury tried to flee and the detective grabbed her around the neck and shoulder. The struggle spilled to the yard where she bit his arm.

Jury also admitted receiving a stolen trailer and lawn mower. The police want reparation of $44,484 from Jury, and

$13,064 from Lucas.