Man jailed for 4-week crime spree

A North Otago man who stole thousands of dollars worth of cash and goods from businesses and residential properties has been jailed.

Jayden Milliken had been on remand in custody for the dishonesty offending since October 5, 2019, during which he knocked a fellow inmate to the ground.

Milliken, 25, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment when he appeared before Judge Joanna Maze in the Oamaru District Court on Wednesday.

He had pleaded guilty to eight counts of burglary, six of using a document for pecuniary advantage, two of theft, two of shoplifting, stealing from a car, and common assault.

Crown prosecutor Andrew McRae said Milliken’s dishonesty offending spanned about a month, starting when he took $6000 from a draw beneath the bar at an Oamaru club. Judge Maze said Milliken had ‘‘very high dependence on methamphetamine cannabis’’.

He had shown ‘‘extraordinary remorse’’ since his spree of offending, especially towards the children living in the houses he had burgled, Judge Maze said.

He had ‘‘no means and no resources’’ to pay reparation to the victims, the judge said. and