A serial bike thief who repeatedly raided the cycle stands at Christchurch Boys’ High School has a significant history of previous offending.
Robert John Commons’ criminal history was revealed when he admitted nine charges in the Christchurch District Court today.
Judge Alistair Garland remanded him on bail for sentencing on February 24 and asked for a pre-sentence report to cover his suitability for home or community detention.
The judge said that was not an indication of the sentence but it would keep options open. “You have got a significant history. It will be up to the sentencing judge what the final outcome will be,” he told Commons, 46, and unemployed.
Commons had admitted the theft of a motorcycle helmet, six bicycles and a motorcycle, and possession of cannabis and utensils for using the drug.
A reparation report will be prepared ahead of the sentencing which may list unrecovered property worth more than $10,000.
While on remand for sentencing, Commons is not allowed to go to the grounds of Boys’ High, nor Christchurch Hospital where the thefts occurred.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Iain Patton said the thefts involved eight victims. He detailed the offending.
Between March and September he made several visits to the school grounds, on foot on by bicycle, taking bikes from the bike stands.
On October 16, he rode his bicycle into the hospital grounds. He removed a wheel from one cycle that had been secured to the stand and fitted it to another bicycle that had been secured by its wheel. He was then able to ride the “hybrid” bicycle away, and returned 30 minutes later to pick up his own bike.
On October 30, Commons went to the school and took a motorcycle helmet from a parked moped. He left when he was disturbed by a teacher.
When police executed a search warrant at his home in late October, they found 203g of cannabis plant in the wardrobe and a cannabis pipe.
The post Bike thief admits repeated school raids appeared first on Courtnews.co.nz.