Thief says depression to blame

Televisions, tobacco taken on separate occasions, gets 75 hours’ community work, six months’ supervision

Alawyer said his client was experiencing depression as a result of relationship and financial issues when he stole two televisions and tobacco. Michael Tafilipepe began offending when he entered The Warehouse at Trafalgar Square with a shopping cart on New Year’s Day.

Tafilipepe walked to the electronic department where he loaded two Veon televisions into the cart, then exited the store, making no effort to pay for them.

Police prosecutor Stephen Butler said that Tafilipepe took the televisions to the underground carpark where a vehicle was located and then he left the area.

“In explanation he stated that he couldn’t fit the TVs in his vehicle so he left them down there,” Butler said.

“He stated he did it because he wasn’t thinking straight and was depressed. The TVs were not recovered.”

Appearing in the Whanganui District Court, Tafilipepe pleaded guilty to two charges of shoplifting and was convicted by Judge Dugald Matheson.

Lawyer Jamie Waugh said that he spoke with Tafilipepe following his offending and suggested that he pay a visit to his GP.

“He has now gone to see his GP and is now on medication. He’s also been referred to a Man Up programme, which he is taking part in,” Waugh said.

You’ve been here before. You know that you cannot just help yourself to other people’s property. Judge Dugald Matheson

“He was having relationship and financial issues. He has now resolved those issues and does have fulltime employment to go to once these matters are finalised.”

Waugh also noted that his client had entered immediate guilty pleas and had one previous conviction for a dishonesty offence, which had been dealt with by way of a fine.

Man Up is a 15-week programme that helps men identify, expose and understand the core root issues of their disfunctions.

On January 7, 2019, Tafilipepe went to Ingestre Food Market requesting a pouch of tobacco.

When presented with what he had requested by the shopkeeper, Tafilipepe told him it might be the wrong one and asked to see another pouch.

The shopkeeper returned with another pouch, which Tafilipepe took, running out of the store with two 50g pouches and being chased by the shopkeeper.

Tafilipepe dropped one pouch while making his escape, despite claiming he had dropped both of them when spoken to by police after his arrest.

Judge Matheson sentenced Tafilipepe to 75 hours’ community work and six months’ supervision.

He also ordered him to pay $1398 reparation to The Warehouse for the televisions and $92.90 to Ingestre Food Market for the tobacco.

“Clearly, Mike, at the time this was happening, you were feeling down on yourself and the information suggests to me that you needed a bit of a leg up,” Judge Matheson said.

“Nevertheless, you’ve been here before.

“You know that you cannot just help yourself to other people’s property.”