Crime doesn’t pay for copper piping thief

The old adage that crime doesn’t pay has certainly rung true for Ashhurst man Garry Jeremy McIntosh.

While he says he made less than $ 70 from his theft of copper piping and a lawnmower battery, he now has to pay more than $ 1500 in reparation.

The 27- year- old had a clean criminal record when he stole $ 30 of copper piping on April 18 and a broken lawnmower battery from outside of an Ashhurst lawnmower business on March 31.

On March 22, he used a ladder and hammer to scale an Ashhurst commercial property and steal 29 metres of copper piping.

He took that copper piping to metal dealer and sold it for $ 35.

When police caught up with him after the battery theft, he said he had sold that for $ 4.

But while his benefit from the thefts adds up to $ 69, it came at a heavy cost.

In the Palmerston North District Court yesterday, McIntosh pleaded guilty to three charges of theft.

Defence lawyer Jock Turnbull said McIntosh was unemployed and receiving no benefit, and stole so he could get money to care for his partner and two children.

He accepted he had caused extensive damage to the building when he stole copper piping, and knew he would have to pay the damage, his lawyer said.

Judge Jennifer Binns said McIntosh’s offending had just landed him in a bigger financial hole.

‘‘ You can hopefully see doesn’t pay.

‘‘ It was for such a small amount of money . . . and now you are in a worse situation because you have to pay this reparation.’’

She sentenced McIntosh to 80 hours’ community work and ordered him to pay $ 1630 in reparation.

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