Motel swindler strikes again

A man with a history of conning moteliers has struck again, and this time the room had to be cleaned for methamphetamine contamination.

Dylan James Looker, 24, stayed at Scenic Hotel Blenheim for four nights, ordering room service and drinks, but left without paying.

When staff checked his room they found a meth pipe, and the room tested positive for methamphetamine contamination.

The Blenheim District Court heard on Monday that it was not the first time Looker had skipped out on an accommodation bill; the same thing happened in 2015 at Blenheim’s Bella Vista Motel.

A police summary of facts said Looker booked a room at Scenic Hotel Blenheim on July 9 last year, filling out a guest registration form with his contact details and indicating he would pay for his onenight stay in cash.

The following day he arranged to stay another two nights.

Looker ordered meals and drinks from room service, charging them to his room account.

Three days after checking in, motel staff asked Looker to settle his bill.

Looker said he could not pay the whole amount as he had left his bank card in Nelson, but returned later that day and paid $100 in cash.

He and his friends stayed one more night, but left without paying or returning the room key on the morning of July 13.

His unpaid bill at the motel totalled $465.05.

Motel staff tried unsuccessfully to contact Looker using the contact details he provided on the guest registration form.

Police tracked Looker down in Rotorua on August 19, but he was unable to offer a reason for the unpaid bill or the meth pipe found in his room. In court on Monday Looker pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining by deception, and also admitted a charge of shoplifting related to an incident at Pak ‘n Save in Blenheim on December 9. Police said Looker was shopping at the Blenheim supermarket when he put grocery items in a sports bag.

He then abandoned the trolley he was using, put the sports bag on his back, and walked out of the store without paying. The groceries totalled $372.65. When spoken to by police, Looker said in explanation, ‘‘you know, you’ve gotta survive’’.

He did not enter a plea on Monday to a second charge of shoplifting, but admitted breaching a sentence of intensive supervision.

He was sentenced to a year and three months’ intensive supervision in December 2015 after he left the Bella Vista Motel in Blenheim without paying for three nights’ accommodation, stealing $297.66 from Mobil on Grove Rd, and stealing his flatmate’s cellphone.

He failed to report to probation on four occasions and was remanded in police custody until his appearance on Monday.

Judge Tony Zohrab said Looker had a significant history of dishonesty offending.

He ordered a pre-sentencing report, a probation report and an alcohol and drug report, and remanded Looker in custody to be sentenced on January 30.