Chocolate thief uses air ducts

A man crawled through air ducts at Nelson Hospital to steal chocolate and fizzy drinks, a court has heard.

In the Nelson District Court yesterday, Errol Patio Blandford, 20, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary.

Prosecutor Sergeant Wayne Johnston said that on November 26 at 7pm, Blandford entered a staff toilet at Nelson Hospital.

He removed a ceiling panel and climbed through the roof until he was above the shop. He removed another panel and took 10 chocolate bars and two cans of fizzy drink before leaving through the back door.

Two days earlier, Blandford smashed a window of the Rising Sun Tavern at 5.30am, let himself in and took a Nelson Hospice donation box containing $130 cash, along with four bottles of alcohol valued at $180, Mr Johnston said.

When he was apprehended he admitted his actions but gave no explanation.

Judge Chris Tuohy said Blandford was on very thin ground.

‘‘Breaking into a hotel early in the morning, burgling a hospital, he is walking the line of going to prison.’’

He warned that if Blandford broke his bail conditions he would be locked up pending sentencing.

Judge Tuohy convicted him on both charges and remanded him in custody until February 18 when he will come up for sentencing.