Burglar who stole laptops and phone at 'Anana jailed [1]
Thursday, September 23, 2021 - 17:53
Lisiate Lakalaka (21) was sentenced to 16-months imprisonment for serious housebreaking and theft of electronics goods valued at $10,900 pa’anga, at 'Anana.
Hon. Mr Justice Cooper sentenced him this month, after he pleaded guilty to the offences at the Nuku’alofa Supreme Court.
On February 19 his year, the defendant committed the offences at Sione Lauti's home, when he entered and stole an HP Laptop, a MacBook Pro and an iPhone, valued at $10,900.
The judge said, he was caught for this offence when he tried to sell the goods.
In the course of travelling about the neighbourhood beforehand he was noticed with these items and when some were sold and others attempted to be sold, the real owner, Lauti was made aware and he in turn reported the matter to the police.
The defendant was arrested on March 3 and when interviewed by Police admitted to the offending.
The goods were all recovered and returned without damage or loss.
However, the judge said in 2018 he was sentenced to a month's imprisonment for theft and in 2019 to four-months' imprisonment for house breaking and simple assault.
The Crown also submitted that the aggravating features were his previous convictions for relevant offences and it was a crime of opportunity, he said.
"It seems to me that what really is the aggravating feature is the targeting of high value electrical equipment, easy to steal and sell on."
The judge said because of the defendant's relatively recent convictions for like matter, he declined to suspend any portion of the sentence.
He sentenced him to 16-months' imprisonment to be backdated to March 3, when he was arrested and detained in police custody.