Shop wouldn’t have bar of choc thief

Despite a chocolate thief being caught red-handed, the stolen goods could not be resold because of their proximity to his groin, a court has heard.

Scott Michael Elliot (43) appeared at the Dunedin District Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to a count of shoplifting.

He was at the Warehouse in Balclutha at 2pm on September 9, prosecutor Sergeant Chris George said.

Elliot was spotted concealing $26.38 of chocolate bars “down his trousers”.

As he left the store with the considerable bulge, he was followed by security staff and police arrested him shortly afterwards.

Judge John Macdonald was particularly surprised by the man’s explanation.

Elliot told officers he was a diabetic, had low blood sugar and was not thinking straight when he smuggled the sweet treats out of the shop.

“I’ve not heard that one for a while,” the judge said.

Though the items were recovered, George said, they were not suitable for resale because they had been so close to the defendant’s nether regions.

Elliot was ordered to pay the Warehouse $26.38.

He was also fined $250 with court costs of $130.

Defence counsel Brendan Stephenson said as well as his diabetes the man was also under the influence of prescription painkillers at the time.